


A Siren Song of Life & Love

by kazul9



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: BAMF Katsuki Yuuri, Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Don’t copy to another site, Fluff, Happy Ending, If there really is an ending to this collection of boys being soft, Insecurities, Kraken Makkachin, M/M, Magic, MerMay, Mermaids, Mild Monster Violence, Science Fiction, Sirens, space witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-02-10 13:30:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 21,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18661381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kazul9/pseuds/kazul9
Summary: Victor and Yuuri are sirens of space, and live on a small moon together with their kraken, Makkachin, where they enjoy their happily ever after.(A set of soft, interwoven Mermay drabbles!)





	1. Day One - Moon

This rock in orbit around a gas giant—it barely even qualifies as a moon, honestly—was meant to be Yuuri’s isolation.

Yuuri was supposed to be a warrior in his shoal. He was taught the songs that would lure even the greatest ships from their pre-destined path, his claws are definitely sharp enough to shred their metal hulls and pick out the juicy little morsels wandering around inside. Theoretically, he should have been amazing at his calling.

He wasn’t.

And he didn’t want to be.

Just the thought of it has him burying his head in his arms, the delicate frills along the side of his face and back flaring in defense as his tail sweeps the rocky floor. He is _such_ a disappointment to his family and friends—

“Yuuri!”

But there’s one person he somehow, someway, isn’t a failure to.

Vitya waves at him from a little ways off, his long silver hair a flowing halo around his face, soft gold and pink scales glittering in the light of distant stars, and his fins gossamer as they float around him. The thin scales and skin around his blue, galaxy-like eyes crinkles as his giant kraken takes advantage of Vitya’s distraction and wraps around him. Makka is always up to no good, but in the cutest ways, so Yuuri’s long since stopped trying to control Vitya’s doting on his spoiled-rotten space creature.

“Yuuri, you look so sad!”

“I’m not—” Yuuri scowls. Fine, so maybe he was letting himself get a _little_ sad.

“Come and play fetch with us!” Vitya throws his arms out to wave again, and both Makka and Yuuri watch the one hand that holds a particularly shiny bit of space shuttle from their last hunt in it.

Yuuri sighs, but can’t hold back a grin as he pushes himself off the ground, drifting through the thin atmosphere and toward his family with slow strokes of his tail.

This rock in orbit around a gas giant—it barely even qualifies as a moon, honestly—was meant to be Yuuri’s isolation. Instead, it’s his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my name is Bacon and I must hate myself!!!
> 
> Jk. I'm loving working my next fic, but I just want something fun and lowkey to keep me chugging along? Because life _sucks_ rn. So, a month of domestic siren/mermen Victuuri, y/y?
> 
> Thank you so, so much to everyone who's even considering reading this nonsense! <3 Also, help me build a playlist? :D Hit me up on here/Twitter/Curious Cat/Tumblr with song recs specifically for these dorks pretty please!!! Also, feel free to suggest anything you'd like to see from these two in the future. We've got a long month ahead of us, readers, _let's do this._
> 
> [Prompt List](https://kazul9.tumblr.com/post/184559117828/lem0ns-art-welp-since-i-am-a-glutton-for) | [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/hmvKrGp) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Kazul9) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Kazul9) | [Tumblr](https://kazul9.tumblr.com//)


	2. Day Two - Siren

Mating rituals are terribly overrated, in Victor’s opinion. Mating season, however? _That_ Victor can always appreciate, nowadays.

Victor nuzzles into the space between Yuuri’s shoulder blades, planting kisses where he deems necessary—which is everywhere, of course. Yuuri's scales turn the loveliest, deepest black during this time in the universe's cycle, with the most tempting little flashes of crimson here and there, not to mention those beautiful patches of gleaming silver streaked across him. It's not that Victor doesn't adore Yuuri's normal, opalescent dark blue. He most certainly does and makes sure to tell Yuuri about it regularly, at _least_ multiple times a day.

But for Victor and his shoal, there are no color changes when it's mating season. His changes are much less pretty, and they don’t partake in the gorgeous songs that Yuuri does when—

Wait.

“Vitya?” Yuuri turns his head to look at him, sleep-mussed hair tickling Vitya’s forehead.

Heavens, he’s so gorgeous illuminated by the phosphorescent moss of their cave, his brown eyes—

No, _focus_.

“Yuuri,” Victor says Yuuri’s name more to be able to say it, and less as an answer to Yuuri’s question.

“You just tensed up.” Yuuri turns over, pressing a soft kiss to Victor’s forehead before his fingers begin to trail through his long hair. “What’s wrong? You should really get some sleep.”

Oh yes, Victor very much so wants to get sleep so they can go back to the activities that exhausted them in the first place. But… “Yuuri, you haven’t sung at all yet this time. Are you all right?”

Yuuri pulls away, blinking sleepily at Victor. “What d’you mean?”

“The first time you changed colors, you wouldn’t let me touch you, but you sang into the spaces between stars enough that you made at least a hundred ships crash into planets and asteroids, and that’s not counting the few that you lured here.”

Yuuri winces. “Don’t remind me.”

Victor places a kiss along Yuuri’s jaw. “I will remind you because you have _no_ idea how that impressed me, love.” Victor continues quickly before Yuuri can squirm too much, “And even last season you sang a little at the beginning, if just for me. But you haven’t at all this year. Is everything all right?”

Yuuri’s quiet for a long moment, and Victor glances up to catch a soft blue blush painting his cheeks before Yuuri covers his face.

“Vitya, you know that singing isn’t… a compulsion, or whatever, and I don’t need to do it. Right?”

Victor’s brow furrows. He’s never actually thought about it, honestly, but that makes sense. “So… you’re not singing because you don’t want to?”

Yuuri peeks above his fingertips. “Because I don’t _need_ to. Because… because the first time I figured that you would only be staying here until you were well enough to travel on your own. The second time I wasn’t… I knew I wanted you, but I wasn’t sure you were going to stay, and that’s how I’ve always been taught to impress others and I just wanted—”

“Yuuri.” Victor reaches up and runs the pads of his fingers along Yuuri’s cheeks, minding his claws, and wraps his tail tightly around Yuuri’s own. “You do know there’s no power in the cosmos that could ever take me away from you, don’t you? Never, ever, ever.”

“I… know. I know that now. I just kept worrying and…” He takes a shaking breath before reaching out to tuck Victor’s hair behind his pointed ear, and smiling. “But I guess, if you want to stay with me after surviving my family, you really are here to stay.”

“I adore your family.” Victor kisses Yuuri’s nose. “Not as much as I adore you, but I like them even more because they love you, too.” It wasn’t that Yuuri’s family wasn’t absolutely terrifying. In fact, he’d never met a more lethal group of Mers in his life. He’ll never admit it aloud to Yuuri, but he still has nightmares about Katsuki Mari absolutely demolishing a dozen battleships in one go.

In lieu of replying, Yuuri instead wraps his hand around the back of Victor’s neck and draws him into a kiss. But Yuuri doesn’t keep things languid and gentle. He teases Victor’s lips with his wickedly sharp teeth, and runs his claws against Victor’s delicate skin. No part of Victor’s scales or skin is soft enough for Yuuri to easily tear into, but the sensation of the sharpness in such delicate areas leaves Victor drawing in sharp breaths as he tingles and burns.

Well, maybe sleep can wait until later. It is mating season, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: I'm going to keep these under 500 words!  
> Also-Me: LOOK AT THESE ALMOST 1K BEHEMOTHS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS
> 
> I can't half-ass anything, help me.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's giving this a chance, and doubly so to the kudo-givers and commenters! <3 Also!!! TW: some gore, but, Mel [made some art for the subtly murderous soft husbands](https://twitter.com/caramel_draws/status/1123393171201904640)! Holy cow!!!!!!!!! Bless all of you for indulging me in this ridiculous AU.
> 
> (Also, pls sir, I beg you for music recs!!!)
> 
> [Prompt List](https://kazul9.tumblr.com/post/184559117828/lem0ns-art-welp-since-i-am-a-glutton-for) | [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/hmvKrGp) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Kazul9) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Kazul9) | [Tumblr](https://kazul9.tumblr.com//)


	3. Day Three - Bathtub

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: There's mention of blood, a sentence describing injuries toward the end of this part!

The first time that Yuuri sees Vitya—or Victor, as he would be for a long time—Yuuri’s indulging.

He really shouldn’t. This self-exile was punishment for failing everyone who had cared for him and letting them all down. But the sirens of space, as the humans call them, are immortal, and forever is a long time to stay isolated on a small rock in the furthest reaches of the galaxy. At least it’s not like he’s seeking out the company of other Mers.

Well, not on purpose, at least.

He slips through the atmosphere of a nearby planet, sighing as he catches sight of the magma pools littering the surface. He hasn’t had a soak in anything since he’d last seen the boiling pools that dot the coast on a planet where his parents chose to nest. His skin has been itching for warmth, and he doesn’t want to risk going too close to a sun for fear of meeting others there. Little did he know he had a slice of heaven so close by.

This does defeat the punishment of his exile a little… but as he sinks into the liquid, molten rock and the burn of it seeps deep into his bones, he can’t regret it. Oh, he could _live_ here. Never move again, and let the lava harden and encase him in this lovely heat.

Except this is a punishment, and fate is not kind enough to let him indulge.

Only a few minutes pass before a high pitch keening reaches Yuuri’s ears. Now he knows that it _could_ easily be some form of life on this planet. There’s gravity enough to keep down mortal creatures—unlike Yuuri—and maybe there’s some of that air that most need to breathe.

But that’s a sound that Yuuri knows all too well.

He pulls himself from the pool, shaking the quickly hardening rock from his tail and swimming over solid ground, through the air and toward—

Something hits hard against Yuuri’s side, slamming him into the ground with enough force that the rock beneath him cracks. He hisses, more out of instinct than anything, but stops when something hisses back.

“Vicchan?” He blinks, trying to focus…

Oh, this kraken is much larger than Vicchan. Much, much larger. A little larger than Yuuri himself, though Yuuri’s a little small for his shoal at only four times the size of an average human.

The creature tightens its grip on Yuuri again, and… and it makes that high-pitched keening again. The poor thing is upset. Yuuri hums as comfortingly as he can while in the creature’s grip, nuzzling his face a little closer even as he tries to shimmy his fins and frills free.

“It’s okay,” Yuuri coos softly. “It’s all right, I’m not going anywhere. I can try my best to help you. What a _good_ little creature you are.”

Kraken aren’t nearly as intelligent as Mers, but they do have some comprehension of what’s going on around them—especially if they were raised by Mers.

And by the way that the creature releases him, this one had definitely imprinted on a Mer.

“What’s wrong?” Yuuri strokes the fine, almost imperceptible furs that coat the creature, and almost seem a bit curly on this one. Its shape is a bit slimmer than Yuuri’s kraken was, so it’s probably a female—though it’s so _big_.

One of her arms snaps out and wraps around Yuuri’s torso, and he finds himself dragged through the heavy air much faster than he himself could be moving on his own. The ground flies beneath by beneath him, and he has to squint and blink rapidly at how the air stings his eyes—

Until he’s flung unceremoniously onto the ground and skids to a stop. It takes a moment for the planet to stop spinning around him, for his mind to settles straight. And then… there’s another odd noise. Wheezing.

Yuuri pushes himself up on the palms of his hands, and freezes.

Right next to him lays the most gorgeous Mer he’s ever seen. Pink seems to be his primary color, but he glitters with gold along large, powerful fins and the edges of his larger scales. His hair is long, limp in the gravity of this planet, but it’s the color of distant stars, gleaming even in the dim light.

At least where it’s not covered in violet blood.

Yuuri can’t make out too many of the finer details on this Mer because he’s been torn to shreds, chunks of flesh and fin gone and blood forming a pool around him. And yet, somehow, Yuuri sees the rise and fall of his chest. Mers are not easily hurt, and much less easily killed, so… how? And why did Yuuri, of all people, have to be the one to find him?

It should _not_ excite Yuuri to have someone to test his magic on. It most definitely shouldn’t warm some part of him to not be alone after so long spent in isolation.

It isn’t breaking his self-punishment if the Mer needs help and eventually leaves, right?

The kraken pushes Yuuri forward, having enough of his inner turmoil, and Yuuri tentatively reaches out and lifts the Mer into his arms.

“Don’t worry, little creature.” Yuuri takes a shaky breath. “I’ll help him.”

And _this_ time, unlike the last time he tried to save a life, it won’t be a lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Volcanic pools count as a bathtub, right? Right. Don’t worry, you get Victor’s first glimpse of Yuuri tomorrow. We stan lovesick fools in this house.
> 
> Thank you so, so much for everyone who continues to read, and especially those who comment!!!!!!! <3 You all are making this totally worth it. <3 <3 <3
> 
> [Prompt List](https://kazul9.tumblr.com/post/184559117828/lem0ns-art-welp-since-i-am-a-glutton-for) | [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/hmvKrGp) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Kazul9) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Kazul9) | [Tumblr](https://kazul9.tumblr.com//)


	4. Day Four - Sea Witch

When Victor wakes up from what he thought was certain death, it’s to the sight of the most alluring Mer that he’s ever seen before, lent over him and gently removing the tangled knots of his hair.

Perhaps this is some form of afterlife. Many Mer cultures don’t believe in such a thing, but Victor’s read far too many human books from the ships he’s destroyed for his own good. An angel, they would call the creature above him.

Well, on second thought, _humans_ wouldn’t think that a Mer was an angel.Either they believe that Mers are gods, or they believe that they were a form of divine punishment sent from the cosmos for stepping too far from their planet, or just horrifying creatures. They could be any of those, or all of the above, for all Victor cares. He’s more likely to believe that they’re made of something divine at this moment, though.

Even with the claws and the razor-sharp teeth, there’s something soft about this Mer. He’s a deep indigo, and his fins look deceptively thin and gossamer as they float around him, the frills around his face flat in concentration. And, oh, those _eyes_. The eyes of Mers look like the constellations that they emerge from, though the color of this one’s eyes are the deepest brown, like rich soil on an undiscovered planet.

Victor’s never much been one for settling down, but if these eyes were a planet, he would stay in a heartbeat.

And then those eyes are flicking up and landing on Victor, and the lovely creature’s breath catches in its through. “You… you’re _gorgeous_.”

Victor blinks, and in that split second, the other Mer’s words seem to catch up to him and he flits away, pressing himself against the far wall of the thankfully small cave.

Odd, Victor doesn’t remember getting here. Nor can he really move without sharp, throbbing pain, but that’s all right. Instead of getting closer to the Mer, Victor puts on the most charming grin he can muster. “Most people call me Victor, but I suppose that works.”

The Mer brings his hands to his face, muffling his next words like he doesn’t exactly want to say them. “M-My name’s Yuuri. I… I didn’t think you’d wake up for a while, if you were going to wake up again.”

Ah, that’s right. He swallows, face paling. “How did you find me?”

“Your kraken led me to you.” _That_ seems to get the Mer—Yuuri—to loosen up a little, hands falling away a smile spreads across his face.

“Makkachin’s all right?” Victor can barely breathe. He hadn’t even had time to think—if he could barely get out, there was little chance for a kraken.

Yuuri nods. “I looked her over after I took care of you. She’s got a few scratches and a missing arm, but it’s on its way to growing back.”

Victor lets out a breath and closes his eyes. “Thank heavens.”

“Um…” Yuuri fidgets. “What happened?”

Victor dares to glance at Yuuri, finding that the tip of his tail is twitching from nervous habit, but his eyes don’t waver. Well, if he and his shoal has been taking care of Victor, he at least can provide an explanation. “I… it seems one of the human ships has developed a new weapon. I don’t know how it works, it seems to be a sort of laser? The ship it was on was this red and purple menace. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it, but my scales couldn’t reflect it, and… Well, you can see what happened. It caught me off guard. You should go and warn the rest of your shoal, it could be in the area still.” Victor’s not sure how long he was out—by what he remembers and the way he feels, he should be dead—but the humans move so slow that it could be true no matter what.

Yuuri goes very quiet and still for a moment. “Um. There’s no one else.”

Victor blinks. “What?”

“There’s no shoal anywhere near here. Not even life on the nearby planets. That was… the point.” Yuuri glances away.

Mers are not solitary creatures. They just aren’t. Even when they’re in small groups or pairs, they have a tendency to adopt creatures like krakens and star whales and kelpies. For a Mer to live out here, by himself, it… it’s… it’s _cruel_.

“I can’t believe your shoal would let you go.” Victor chooses his words carefully, keeping his tone light. “For you to save someone in my condition, your magic must be unprecedented.”

A light blue flush paints Yuuri’s cheeks, and Victor inexplicably wants to touch it. “I-I it’s not good. I only know the songs I was taught growing up. I _wish_ I were better at magic, I just. I’m not.”

Victor gapes. “You healed me with just _song_?”

Yuuri, for some reason, winces. “Yes?”

Victor tries to move, to swim toward Yuuri, but instead only lets out a pained hiss. No matter, he knows how to make sure he has enough time here to make sure he can swim with Yuuri and, hopefully, do more. “Then that’s settled. In return for saving me, I’ll teach you all the magic I know.”

Yuuri splutters for a moment. “I, uh. You… what?”

“I’m the best witch this galaxy has to offer, I guarantee it.” Victor grins, showing far too many sharp teeth. “And starting today, I’ll be your magic coach, Yuuri!”

And it has absolutely not a single thing to do with wanting to get to know this gorgeous, handsome Mer better, not even remotely. Completely an act of good will on Victor’s part. Of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vitya, go and get your man!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you all so, so, so much for your continued support!!! <3 <3 <3
> 
> [Prompt List](https://kazul9.tumblr.com/post/184559117828/lem0ns-art-welp-since-i-am-a-glutton-for) | [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/hmvKrGp) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Kazul9) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Kazul9) | [Tumblr](https://kazul9.tumblr.com//)


	5. Day Five - Flowers

It’s been ages since Vitya began teaching Yuuri the finer points of magic beyond song, so he knows better than to get nervous about scaring him away with his dumb requests by now. After all, he’d been doing Vitya a favor by going out and gathering all these ingredients for his hair potion, and was even going to make it for him—though who knows _how_ Vitya grew to trust him after the disastrous first time he tried to make it. But Vitya does trust him. Implicitly.

And yet, here he is, swimming circles around himself outside of their cave.

Yuuri _wants_ to go in and wrap his arms around Vitya, he’s been gone for far too long gathering everything, having had to go father than normal this time. It’s just… why does he have to be so _silly_ …

“Yuuri…” The whine echoes from inside the cave, making Yuuri freeze in his tracks. “Yuuri, I’ve been waiting so _long_. Please come and cuddle. Pretty please.”

It only takes a moment for Yuuri’s inner war to resolve, and he moves into the cave with slow, firm strokes of his tail. “Well, since you asked so nicely…”

Yuuri’s barely left the light of the distant sun before arms wrap around him, and there’s a kiss planted on his cheek.

“I missed you,” Vitya murmurs against Yuuri’s skin and scales.

“I missed you, t—oof!”

Makka slams into him, knocking the air out of Yuuri before tentacles and arms wrap around both him and Vitya.

Vitya laughs, his mouth wide and heart-shaped.

Yuuri rolls his eyes, but smiles all the same. “I missed you too, Makka. But if you let me go, I’ll share a treat, hm?”

Makka disentangles in record time, leaving Yuuri to rummage through his bag and pull out a particularly large femur from an inhabitant of a ship he tore apart on his way home. Makka starts a whirring sort of whistle at the sight of it, and Yuuri barely has time to throw it before Makka almost tackles him again. Then she’s off like a shot, and Yuuri’s left cooing over how adorable and good their Makka is.

“Oh, that’s new.” Vitya peers around Yuuri’s waist, into his bag, and at the flowers nestled safely within.

They survived space as well as Yuuri had hoped they would, the white petals gleaming in the formation of their intricate blossoms. Not frozen, not crumbled, but as pristine as the moment that Yuuri plucked them off their planet. And now that Vitya’s seen them, there’s no use in hiding what he wants anymore.

Yuuri keeps his eyes firmly on the glowing petals as he asks, “I… I was hoping to put them in your hair?”

Vitya’s stays quiet for too long, but just as Yuuri’s about to open his mouth and take it back, a finger presses against his lips and blue eyes meet his, pleading. “Please?”

Yuuri lets out a breath, deflating. “You don’t have to just agree, you can say no if you want to.”

Vitya rolls his eyes. “Yuuri, when have I ever been anything other than completely, brutally honest with you?”

“I…” Well, when Vitya puts it like _that_. “You do always tell me the truth.”

“Exactly!” Vitya curls around Yuuri, sinking just enough so that his head is right in front of Yuuri and low enough for him to work with. “Now, please?”

Yuuri doesn’t need to see his face to know those eyes are wide and pleading. A small grin pulls at Yuuri’s lips as he combs his fingers through Vitya’s hair, parting it for the intricate braid Yuuri has in mind. Makka comes and settles around their tails to gnaw on her bone as Yuuri begins to weave the flowers between strands as gracefully as he can.

“You were gone too long.” Vitya’s voice is soft, his eyes half-closed

“I was gone exactly how long I said I was going to be away.” Yuuri scowls, though it’s with no conviction. His focus instead falls on the slide of Vitya’s thick, silky hair through his fingertips.

Vitya hums his acknowledgment, his shoulders slowly falling lower and lower as he relaxes. “I know. You told me where you going, you’ve been good about that. But I missed you.”

Yuuri’s quiet a moment as his fingers work in quick, gentle movements. Then he leans down and presses a kiss to Vitya’s forehead. “I missed you, too. Every moment I was gone.”

Vitya’s eyes blink open, lazy and unfocused, as he pouts “ _Yuuri_. You can’t just say that when I’m unable to kiss you senseless.”

Yuuri snorts. “You can do whatever you like. I’m done.”

“Already?” Vitya beams and—rather than kiss Yuuri senseless—he shoots away from Yuuri and back into their cave.

Laughing, Yuuri follows and find Vitya, predictably, in front of a piece of spacecraft that they polished enough that they can see their reflections in it.

“Yuuri, it’s beautiful!” Vitya beams at Yuuri in his reflection.

Yuuri hums in agreement as he comes forward to wrap his arms around Vitya’s waist, placing a kiss on Vitya’s shoulder. “You are.”

Vitya turns enough to finally make good on giving Yuuri a gentle kiss in return. “Thank you. It’s lovely. And you’re lovely.”

Yuuri smiles. “We aren’t having a compliment competition again, Vitya.”

Vitya pouts. “But I love complimenting you. I don’t do it enough!”

“You do it plenty.” Yuuri runs the tips of his claws along Vitya’s cheek, something warm blooming in him at the sight of Vitya’s eyes fluttering shut. “I can think of some other things we can do while you’re looking like this instead.”

Vitya’s eyes snap open, and a wicked grin spreads across his face. “Oh? What did you have in mind?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These fish bois need to stop trying to up the rating!!!! Smh
> 
> As always, thank you so, so much to everyone giving this a read!!! And bless everyone taking the time to comment on this daily behemoth, you guys are the best. <3 <3 <3
> 
> [Prompt List](https://kazul9.tumblr.com/post/184559117828/lem0ns-art-welp-since-i-am-a-glutton-for) | [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/hmvKrGp) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Kazul9) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Kazul9) | [Tumblr](https://kazul9.tumblr.com//)


	6. Day Six - Potion

“Yuuri?” Victor peers down into their cave from above, his eyes not adjusting to relative darkness quickly enough to see inside.

At the silence that answers Victor, he safely assumes that he should have poked his head in much sooner.

He frowns. It was a relatively simple potion. It may the first time that Yuuri’s working alone with magic in a form different than song, but he can’t screw it up _that_ badly.

Right?

Victor pushes himself into the cave in slow motions, the first thing coming into view being the small cauldron that Yuuri managed to patch together, and the ghostly white witchfire illuminating everything from beneath. The next thing that hits him is the sight of what was _supposed_ to be the pale turquoise potion for his hair—it’s hair _thickening_ , that doesn’t mean his hair is _thin_ , just that it could be _thicker_ —but is instead thick, black tar with a sharp, acrid smell that burns Victor’s nose.

“Heavens, what _happened_?” Victor mutters as he covers the slits of his nose with his hand.

A small sniffle sounds from beside him. “I-I _knew_ I screwed up. I told you I would!”

Victor freezes, then turns his head.

Yuuri’s curled up on the ground beside him, tucked into a corner like he could become small enough to be forgotten, eyes puffy from crying. Yes, Victor should have checked on him much, _much_ sooner.

Victor almost reaches out, but hesitates. “Yuuri, I have more. It’s okay, I don’t need it right now, it’s fine.”

There’s a moment of silence before Yuuri turns his eyes toward the ground. “Oh. Good. You were prepared for me to screw up this bad.”

“ _Yuuri_ , you know that’s not what I mean!” Victor sighs, running a hand through his hair.

Yuuri doesn’t respond, not even a twitch.

Victor huffs, trying to hide the chaos inside him as he scrambles for what to do next. “What, should I kiss you to make it better?”

 _That_ gets Yuuri to raise his head—but he bares his teeth at Victor, the sharp points glinting in the witchfire. “Kisses don’t make everything better, Vitya!”

Okay, so maybe Victor shouldn’t have said that. _Maybe_ he needs to get better at using his words. “Yuuri, I have the backups for _me_. This potion is simple, and best used fresh, like I told you. But sometimes I get distracted, or I measure things wrong, or the timing’s off. I didn’t exactly expect to get horribly mutilated by human ships and have the most handsome merman I’ve ever seen rescue me; when would I have had time to make those backups for _you_?”

Yuuri flushes before turning away, and Victor wishes he could sneak into Yuuri’s brain and see what’s causing that pale blue to spread across his face, and whiles he’s at it, to rearrange a few things in there so that Yuuri could view himself like Victor does. But that isn’t possible, so Victor will just to be as obnoxious about his mate’s brilliance as possible until Yuuri _understands_.

Victor moves closer in smooth strokes of his tail, reaching out and wrapping his arms around Yuuri slow enough that he can pull away if he wants to. But he doesn’t. Victor barely resists pressing a kiss to Yuuri’s neck, remembering his earlier words. Besides, it’s much more fun kissing a happy Yuuri, and Victor’s more than willing to get him there. “Yuuri, it’s about time that you thoroughly messed up.”

Yuuri stiffens. “What?”

“You’ve been doing so well in everything I’ve shown you, I was starting to wonder if you were lying to me when you said you hadn’t done any magic besides singing before.”

“I—what?” Yuuri turns in Victor’s grip enough to look at his face. “You… You’re not lying, are you?”

Victor meets Yuuri’s gaze head-on. “Yuuri, you’ve exceeded my expectations and surprised me at every turn.”

Yuuri’s flush deepens and, _oh_. It’s so hard not to stare when that color makes those lovely eyes stand out so much more against that delicious blue. But Yuuri’s made it clear this is serious for him, and Victor intends to show him that he _can_ listen, even if he’s sometimes bad at it.

“What do you say we do this again?” Victor loosens one of his arms from around Yuuri, instead reaching down and lacing their fingers. “Together?”

Yuuri frowns for just a moment, and Victor can almost _see_ the war as Yuuri decides between stubbornly sticking it out and doing the potion again on his own, and accepting Victor’s help.

But finally, _finally_ , Yuuri squeezes his hand and gives a small smile. “Okay. Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at these disaster monsters being all adorkable and in love, I adore them. ~~Of course your hair isn't thinning Vitya, no one's accusing you of it, promise~~
> 
> Thank you so, so much to everyone still reading! I can't believe we've made it in almost a whole week! 
> 
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	7. Day Seven - Deep Space

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some monster-y violence this chapter! Definitely skip if that's not your cup of tea.

“Vitya, what is this?” Yuuri fins even closer to Vitya, taking his hand and gripping it tightly as a chill creeps across his scales and skin. Makka keeps close, absolutely silent for once.

There’s darkness around them— _pure_ darkness. The distant stars are completely eaten up by this…. this _cloud_ of dark matter, or whatever it is that Vitya’s dragged him into.

It’ll be fun, Vitya said. Something new, something exciting. A vacation from the comfortable routine that Yuuri _loves,_ by the way. But Vitya was so excited to show Yuuri something he’d never seen before, and his promises made it seem so fun.

But this is _not fun._

The fun was a _lie_.

Vitya squeezes his hand. “Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe. And if we go a bit further, I’m sure we’ll find what Yura mentioned.”

Yuuri squints, even if Vitya won’t be able to see the expression with how dim it is. “We’re following _Yuri’s_ advice on a good spot to visit?”

Vitya slows a little. “Well… maybe?”

Yuuri sighs. “He’s a _child_ Vitya, he won’t know what’s safe, much less what’s fun _and_ safe.”

“Well, maybe, but—” Vitya gasps, coming to a complete stop. “Yuuri, _look_.”

Yuuri turns his head with as much reluctance as he can muster, and then gasps, too. The darkness is no longer absolutely dark. Instead, there are lights, everywhere, all colors of neon glimmering in the darkness.

This time the one tugging Vitya forward is Yuuri, giggling as they swim through the tickling, electric tentacles of jellyfish. A long serpent swims right by them, stripped in vibrant colors, the tide of its passing ruffling Yuuri’s hair. And… a bit further on, there’s a plain, white light.

Yuuri drags Vitya toward this ordinary, unassuming thing, a little ways away from the bustle of the other activity. He reaches out a clawed hand, finding the small light fits smoothly in the palm of his hand. He gives a light squeeze.

“Yuuri!” Vitya yanks him back just as a pair of giant jaws come into view and snap down right where Yuuri was, just grazing Vitya’s forearm.

Yuuri sees red. _No_.

Vitya has been hurt _enough_ in his life, and Yuuri won’t be another cause of that for him.

“Stay,” Yuuri orders Makka, knowing she’d protect Vitya with her life—it’s something any kraken would do for their Mer—and he slides from Vitya’s safe gasp and toward the giant, gnarled head of the creature. He shoots up the face, finding one of its wide, bulging eyes, and digs his claws in before yanking it out with a loud squelch, and a satisfying pop.

The creature _howls_ , and Yuuri can hear the desperation in its tone, but what if it hurts Victor again? What if Yura comes on his own and this creature tries to take advantage.

Yuuri won’t allow that.

He slides down the side of the creature’s face, keeping his claws latched into it so that even as it tries to flee, there’s no escape. He lets go with one hand once he’s low enough, grabs firmly onto its lower jaw and _pulls_ , screeching out his frustration and anger until there’s a rip, a crunch, and a tear. The light that was attached to the creature by some antenna begins to fade as the body of the creature drifts off into the vacuum of space.

Makka reaches Yuuri first, investigating him gently before she latches onto the jaw still in Yuuri’s hand. He lets it go for her to nibble on just before another body collides with him.

“Yuuri!” Victor nuzzles into his neck. “You didn’t need to do that, it was just a _scratch_. Are you okay?”

Yuuri nods as Victor lets out a relieved breath.

“You know, though…” Victor pulls back a little, meeting Yuuri’s eyes. “That was something, seeing you destroy that creature so thoroughly.”

That _was_ something, wasn’t it? Yuuri grins, cheeks warm and breaths coming quick. “Let’s do it again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Badass Katsuki Yuuri at it again. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Thank you guys so much for reading! We've officially made it a week? And we just passed 100 kudos when I was sure about all of five (5) people would be reading this?? What the heck??? Thank you!?!?!?!?!!!?!
> 
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	8. Day Eight - Albino

“She’ll be okay.” Yuuri whispers, seemingly more to myself than Victor, or even Makka where she lies draped over Yuuri’s lap. “Sh-she’ll be fine.”

Victor bites his tongue against responding immediately, against invasive questions he _knows_ Yuuri won’t appreciate. Makka’s been with him for almost as long as he can remember, and yet Yuuri almost seems to be _more_ distressed about her illness than Victor is—and Victor hasn’t been this worried since… well, probably since he was nearly killed by that human ship.

It isn’t as if Yuuri or Victor can do anything right now. They can’t even pace in circles, stuck on top of one of the great white manta rays that travels the galaxy. It’s so much faster than if they chose to swim themselves, but if they move around they’ll be swept off in an instant, and they _need_ to reach the Katsukis. Victor’s never met them before, but he trusts Yuuri implicitly, and Yuuri trusts his family.

So instead he does the one thing he can do, and the one thing he needs too, he reaches out to take Yuuri’s hand.

Yuuri starts a little, but then turns and gives Victor a small smile. “Vitya.”

Victor just grins, not trusting his words enough to use them. He’s not sure what he would say—what he _wants_ to say.

Instead, Yuuri fills the silence. “I’ve never told you what happened to my own kraken, Vicchan, have I?”

Victor blinks. “Yuuri, you don’t have to—”

“No, I…” Yuuri squeezes his eyes shut. “I want you to know. So you’ll know why I…” He swallows.

When Makkachin started whining and then started going unresponsive for periods, Yuuri just… shut down. It took so much pleading and needling from Victor to get him to jump into action and help, but Victor hasn’t missed the pain in his eyes in the meantime. Victor tugs up their joined hands and kisses Yuuri’s knuckles. “You don’t have to.”

Yuuri meets his eyes, giving a faint smile. “I know.”

“Good,” Victor murmurs against his skin, sliding closer so that he can lean lightly against Yuuri and place their joined hands on Makkachin’s side. She seems to be doing better than she was when they were leaving, her fitful sleep now peaceful, but the sooner they reach their destination, the better.

Yuuri takes a shaky breath. “I come from a shoal of warriors. I… I know I’ve mentioned that, but I was raised to hunt and to protect my family. It was what I was supposed to do, it was my purpose, but I’m… I’m not any good at it.”

Victor vaguely recalls Yuuri singlehandedly annihilating anything that has even been remotely a threat to either of them or Makka in the past, even after Victor insisted they didn’t need it—though he can’t say he doesn’t let Yuuri keep doing it mostly because he loves how his mate looks when he gets… _feisty_. But Victor decides now isn’t the time to interrupt.

“For my first hunt on my own, it was only Vicchan and me. It was supposed to be just a couple of small spacecrafts, but instead it was a fleet of warships and I just… I panicked.” Yuuri leans harder into Victor, and wraps an arm around him as if pleading him to stay—like he’d _need_ to. “They shouldn’t have been able to harm me if I’d just kept my head on straight, but Vicchan knew. He always knew. So he jumped in front of everything they threw at me and… and he…” He stops on a bitten off sob.

Victor nuzzles into Yuuri’s soft hair, no words coming to his mind to comfort. He can’t say that it’s okay when it isn’t, when this hurt Yuuri so deeply.

“I tried to save him, but he was so…” Yuuri swallows, wiping at his eyes. “Anyway, I went home, admitted my failure, and then I left.”

Victor sucks in a breath, suddenly assaulted by the image of Yuuri crossing this vast, vast distance that they fly by now, but while all alone and grieving, and Victor can’t resist smothering Yuuri in the biggest hug he can give. “It’s not your fault, Yuuri. You didn’t know. Anyone would have panicked.”

Yuuri shakes in Victor’s arms, and Victor rubs soothing circles into his scales and skin.

Heavens, this explains so much of how he reacts to magic, and even Makka sometimes. He would blame and hate Yuuri’s shoal for letting Yuuri go, but he’s seen the stubbornness of this beautiful Mer, and knows there was probably nothing to be done. Yuuri had made up his mind, and that was that. But now that Victor knows, he can support and help Yuuri as best he can.

They’re in this together, after all, until the end of the universe itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler alert: Makka’s totally fine and just has a little gastrointestinal distress after eating a particularly large human whole. But Vitya gets to meet the Katsukis, learns more about Yuuri, and Makka only gets a case of the farts, so win/win? This is probably the angstiest this fic collection will get, but it’s necessary to go into some details for a Certain Other Idea that I have.
> 
> Thank you so, so much to every still reading these ridiculous, soft, monster bois! <3 I also realized I never said so here, but check out my Twitter bio/the Tumblr posts of these fics (I post the full things on Tumblr, too!) for a way to read a day ahead, and an exclusive drabble at the end of all this.
> 
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	9. Day Nine - Horror

Yuuri slips away while Victor sleeps, knowing he should probably say something, but he can’t.

Mers don’t heal very fast, even with the help of magic. They don’t get injured very often in the first place, and when they are that tends to be that.

But Victor—no, Vitya. He said for Yuuri to call him Vitya, even if the name makes Yuuri flush. _Vitya_ is still here, somehow. Time passes and he slowly heals, but Yuuri can see the worry in his face when he’s thinking about the humans that managed to hurt him, and worrying about others because that’s how Vitya is—always caring too much for his own good.

And unable to do a thing because he’s healing so, _so_ slowly.

But Yuuri?

Yuuri comes from a shoal of warriors. He may have failed them, but he still remembers how he was raised and everything he was taught. He knows how to hunt. And he can do this.

He travels to where Vitya admits to having been attacked, the sharp metallic tang of the human ships never really having the chance to fade. Yuuri hums a tracking song just to be sure, and a pale ribbon of light leads him forward and toward the ones that hurt Vitya.

It’s quicker and easier than he ever suspected to hunt them down.

There’s only one of the red and purple monstrosities, just like Vitya said. A fleet of smaller ships surround it, but they are gnats to Yuuri, even if he’s smaller than them. And that ship that had almost ended Vitya moves so slow—

It really _must_ have taken him off guard.

The small ships move toward him first, inefficient lasers bouncing off of Yuuri’s hide. Let them come. He sings his encouragement, even, laces his intent in his voice and words and lures them in so he can rip and tear the pathetic ships apart with his bare hands.

The large one, the one Vitya underestimated, must have some sort of soundproofing so that his lure doesn’t reach them as it doesn’t come toward Yuuri. Not all ships seem to be built thick enough to block him out, but some do. This ship only turns, however, and Yuuri lets it. Let it think that it has him.

There’s a larger sort of blaster on its front that whirs as it charges. It’s only moments before it fires a giant, powerful beam that singes the frills on Yuuri as he darts out of the way, closer to the ship. The chains shoot out then, clawed and jagged edges dying to dig into his flesh, just like they did with Vitya. Yuuri grabs on one, yanks, and… it doesn’t shatter.

Expected, but unfortunate.

Yuuri gives a high keen, diving in closer, trying to dig his claws through the metal, but nothing gives. He keeps moving, avoiding the traps and blasts that they placed in plain sight—like Yuuri is some _creature_ , and not a predator that has outwitted and outsmarted them for generations of their insignificant lifespan. They’re so afraid they can’t acknowledge the fact that Yuuri isn’t more than a simple creature. Which means…

Of course.

Yuuri streaks around toward the front of the ship, toward the blaster that they seem to have faith in, despite it being so _slow_. There has to be a way in and out, there _has_ to be a weakness, and humans are predictable. Hide where you’re safe.

Well, hide where you’d be safe from anyone else. But this is what Yuuri was raised for.

He ducks into the cavern of the ship where the blaster’s tucked away just as the thing begins to whirr back to life—but Yuuri’s faster than any machinery. He tears into the weapon, yanking apart wires, and metal much softer than the hide of the ship.

A sharp grin spreads across Yuuri’s face as the whirring comes to an abrupt halt and a siren sounds, muffled in the depths of the metal giant.

Perfect.

The metal bends and breaks until Yuuri’s breached the hull and opened up the artificial atmosphere to the vastness of space. Yuuri could leave it here, now that the ship is ruined, and a majority of humans have already been claimed by the lack of oxygen and the cold and the vacuum. But he can’t let any escape in their little pods. He can’t let them build another ship like this. They need to know how much of a failure this one was so that they never lay a single finger on Vitya or anyone else again.

The walls crumble under his touch as he rips and tears from the inside out, his vision red as he wrecks and pulls and sunders everything to nothing but wreckage. If they ever find the remains, Yuuri wants to make it so they might not even be sure they’ve found the right ship, needs to make it so very, _very_ clear that they’ve made a mistake.

And then… it’s quiet. The silence of space creeps in as Yuuri gathers trophies to show Vitya he doesn’t have to ever worry about this again.

 _No one_ touches Vitya.

No one besides Yuuri, that is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me@Me: You do know that all the spaceships weigh nothing in space because no gravity so the big ship moving slower is a really weird detail that doesn’t—  
> Me: LET ME HAVE MY DRAMATIC EFFECT OKAY
> 
> Anywaaaaaay, thank you all so, so much for continuing to read!!! <3
> 
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	10. Day Ten - Monochromatic

As Victor lays next to Yuuri and watches Yuuri sleep, drooling and snoring just enough to be endearing, he can’t help the warmth of gratefulness that blooms in his chest. He could never have imagined his life coming to this point, but now he can’t comprehend ever going back.

Not to say that Victor’s life was what he’d call _bad_ before he found Yuuri, of course.

He came from a large shoal, a powerful one that protected its own. He was quickly singled out for his magical powers when he was young, and he never wanted for anything. He even had what some might consider friends. There are people who know his name, and his favorite food, and who would discuss magic theory with him.

But sometimes when he took time to stop and think, his life felt… bland. A little empty. Black and white where everyone seemed to be seeing color.

So he didn’t stop and think. He was the best witch his shoal had ever produced, and he put it to good use, and he pushed through it. No whining. No complaining.

Until Yuuri.

Yuuri, who came in and knocked down all his defenses and walls. Yuuri, who, inexplicably, has put up with his whining and his complaining for longer than anyone else would even consider it from him back home. Yuuri, who teases him back without fear or overwhelming respect, even if that took a while for him to get there. Yuuri, who is his mate and infuses his life with more color than ever before. His brave, terrified, and terrifyingly amazing Yuuri.

Victor thought he couldn’t live without the support and praise of a large shoal behind him. His value has only been tied to his magic. But Victor doesn’t so much as question that—even if he _hadn’t_ made the abrupt decision to teach Yuuri magic—Yuuri would have wanted Victor to stay because he’s _him_.

Even if Yuuri was supposed to be in some ridiculous self-exile, and even if Victor’s only just stumbling around in his discovering of who exactly Victor is.

Victor can’t stand the distance between them any longer, no matter how cute Yuuri is while he sleeps. He comes in as close as he possibly can, wrapping his arms and tail around Yuuri and preening when Yuuri sleepily returns the embrace with a small grumble.

It’s been a lot of hard work to get here for both of them, but it was worth every single struggle for Victor to find his home in Yuuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured this was a fitting one for day ten, considering episode ten. :D
> 
> I feel _especially_ like a broken record because I'm posting this every damn day and saying this every time, but I mean it! Thank you all so, so much for reading this drabble collection!!! <3
> 
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	11. Day Eleven - Tattoo

“Yuuri?”

Yuuri freezes for just a moment before continuing to stir the cauldron. That tone of voice isn’t one that Yuuri’s heard in a while. Victor’s voice may be light, but it’s strained, like he’s trying to hide something that actually matters to him. And, honestly, it terrifies Yuuri. “Yes, Vitya?”

“What are the mating rituals like in your shoal?”

 _That_ gets Yuuri to still completely. He lets out a soft hum of a song, extinguishing the witchfire and turning to find Vitya wrapped around Makkachin—and wrapped up in her tentacles—with his face now buried in her side, though his voice wasn’t muffled a moment ago.

“Vitya, what are you talking about?” Yuuri fins a little closer to Vitya—which doesn’t take much effort, considering the size of their cave. “Mating rituals?”

He knows that Vitya’s shoal had a lot more… formalities than Yuuri’s ever did. The standards that Vitya had to live in were absurd, and they’re lucky that Yuuri doesn’t walk right up to them and make his opinion known. He hates conflict, _loathes_ it, in fact, but he would do it for Vitya, who was so exhausted by his shoal’s antics that he barely had time to be himself.

Which makes this question… odd, to say the least.

“You don’t have any?” One of Vitya’s brilliant eyes peer up from Makka, wide and questioning.

“No, of course we wouldn’t. Mers, they—” Yuuri cuts himself off, taking a deep breath. “We mate for life. It’s as simple as that.”

Vitya hums in acknowledgment, then buries his face in Makka’s side again.

Yuuri sighs. It’s going to be like this, then. “Vitya, I thought you said you didn’t like rituals. You’ve called them overrated, stupid, vapid, and a _lot_ of other things—even Yuri’s said as much. Is there something about this that’s important?”

“I know they’re ridiculous, I just—” Vitya squeezes Makka a little tighter, making her give a little, concerned trill. “It’s stupid.”

Yuuri clucks his tongue, moving around the mass of Vitya and Makka, coming up to wrap his arms around his mate from behind. “It’s not stupid if it’s important to you.”

With his head pressed to Vitya’s back, Yuuri feels more than hears him take in a sharp breath. It takes a few moments before there’s anything else, but Yuuri’s patient, and it pays off when Victor barely whispers out what he’s _actually_ been meaning to say. “In my shoal, they… The process of becoming makes is complicated, far too much if you ask me.”

Yuuri finds it hard to believe there’s anything _too_ over the top for his Vitya, but if everything always took so much effort for every little thing while he was growing up, that certainly explains a few of Vitya’s… quirks.

“But, at the end, the mated couple will typically end up with marks to show that they belong to each other. Tattoos, around their wrists or their fingers—somewhere around their hands,” Vitya finishes quielyt.

Ah, that’s it, then. Yuuri presses a soft kiss to the back of Vitya’s neck, preening at the way it makes him shiver. “Is that important to you?”

“I—well, of course not, we’re already mated, it’s silly, we don’t need anything else to show anyone anything—”

“We don’t need a lot of things, Vitya.” Yuuri breathes against Vitya’s skin. “It doesn’t make them any less important.”

There’s another period of quiet, and Yuuri falls easily into the rhythm of Vitya’s and Makkachin’s breaths, though not quite enough to doze off. He could spend the rest of his days like this and be happy.

“It’s… I just want anyone who sees me to know that I’m yours, and that you’re mine. That I’ve finally found my place after so long, and it’s here with you.”

Yuuri grips Vitya a little tighter. Well, that _does_ sound nice. “Then Vitya, let’s do it.”

Vitya stiffens. “You don’t have to—”

“I know I don’t,” Yuuri keeps his voice as firm as he’s able. “But I want it too. I want anyone who sees you to know that you’re mine, that when you come home it’s to me, and our home together. I want to show you off, too.”

“Really?” Vitya breathes, as if afraid of the answer.

“Absolutely.”

Vitya immediately wiggles free from Makkachin’s legs and tentacles, and throws himself at Yuuri, kissing him senseless and silly.

And, well, they don’t think about the tattoos much for a while after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: It makes NO SENSE that they would have rings as monsters in space.  
> Also-Me: wHAT ABOUT TATTOOS???
> 
> Yes you will get a description of said tats… eventually.
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for continuing to read along! And bless everyone who leaves comments and brightens my days. <3
> 
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	12. Day Twelve - Space

While he’s recovering from his injuries, Victor doesn’t have much to do. Both Makka and Yuuri try to keep him entertained in various ways—but there’s only so many games of fetch he can take, and Yuuri maybe be more open and talkative over the long period of his recovery, but he can only deal with clingy, needy Victor for so long before he has to go out and hunt for them, or gather supplies for his lessons.

Which is what he’s out doing now, leaving Victor to whine at Makka until she has enough of him, too. And apparently her patience is already worn thin at how quickly she leaves him to go poking around the nearby planets. And now he doesn’t know when either Makka _or_ Yuuri will be back.

Yuuri’s especially terrible about letting Victor know when he’ll back—Makka doesn’t have words she can use, so she gets a free pass—but… It’s not like Victor has any claim to him.

Despite really, really wanting to.

He’s never known a magic apprentice—no, he’s never known a _Mer_ like Yuuri. So stubborn and willful, yet shy and studious. Yuuri was skittish at first, intimidated and afraid, but now Victor’s seen all of his flaws and had the chance to fall in love with every one of them—

Victor sucks in a breath. Love? Well… Yes, he supposes this is what it has to be, isn’t it?

Humming startles Victor from his thoughts, and he can’t and won’t help the smile that spreads across his lips. “Yuuri!” he sings, just as the Mer in question ducks into the cave.

And, oh, there’s a smile on his face too, and a faint spread of that lovely blue flush across his face. “Hello, Victor. How was—”

Yuuri pauses, his mouth turning sharply down—and even _that_ expression is attractive on him. It shouldn’t be possible for Victor to feel anything but dread for that expression, yet here he is. “How do you have so many _things_?”

Victor blinks. “What?”

“I _know_ that bag of yours couldn’t have held all of this.” Yuuri tuts as he moves a few bones and strange rocks and flora from nearby planets away from the entrance. “We’re running out of space.”

That “we” rings around Victor’s head like a melody. Everything Yuuri says and does is like a dance, his finely honed body graceful and talented always, but he so rarely says anything is both of theirs—much less this _home_. And Yuuri’s given him so, so much, and Victor just wants to give him something, anything in return.

“Call me Vitya,” Victor breaths, eyes wide as he leans up on his elbows, wishing he could trust his still-healing tail enough to move forward.

“What?” Yuuri blinks, tirade momentarily broken.

“It’s more familiar. More… intimate?” Victor knows he must be blushing, an ugly purple as opposed to Yuuri’s pretty blue, but he can’t help it. “I know you don’t have them where you’re from, but I… I’d like it if you used mine.”

Yuuri frowns, and his own flush deepens. “D-Don’t distract from how messy it is in here!”

“I’m not trying to distract you.” Victor sits all the way up and into Yuuri’s personal space, his heart pounding as Yuuri doesn’t back away.

Instead, Yuuri’s eyes dart momentarily down to Victor’s lips, then back up at his eyes. “How is this not a distraction?”

Victor flutters his eyelashes, and tries to keep the breathlessness out of his voice. “Because it’s… it’s important to me.”

“Why?” Yuuri’s frown deepens as he searches Victor’s face. “Does it… does it matter when you’re just going to leave when you’re better?”

It would be an accusation if Yuuri were more sure of his words, his voice less high-pitched. But Victor knows him well enough to know better. “Yuuri. I won’t leave unless you want me gone.”

Yuuri glances away. “I… You say that _now_ , but…”

“But I’ve been living with you longer than anyone else in my life.” No need to mention that he hasn’t lived with anyone since he graduated from Yakov’s tutelage; he never even enjoyed staying with Yakov this much, anyway. “And I would really, _really_ like it if you would call me Vitya.”

“Why?” Yuuri asks again, clenching his hands into fists, and Victor has to wonder if any reason he gives will be good enough for Yuuri.

Well, if he’s so set on not believing Victor, he might as well tell the truth. “Because, Yuuri. I care about you more than I’ve cared about anything or anyone. Your kindness, and your stubbornness, and your silliness has made me happier than I’ve ever been—even if I still can’t move around that much.” It’s been so _long_ , and he is healing, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t worry about staying like this forever in his more irrational moments. But Yuuri’s always there for him then, and… “I just… I care a lot for you, Yuuri.”

That draws Yuuri’s gaze up toward him, eyes so wide and so brown and so beautiful. “And I… I care for you, too.” He swallows. “Vitya.”

Victor blinks away tears burning at the corners of his eyes, wide grin spreading across his face. “Thank you.”

Yuuri nods, then hesitates only just a moment before biting his lip and then asking, “Vitya? Can I kiss you?”

“Oh, _Yuuri_ ,” Victor breathes. “Please, pretty please.”

Yuuri laughs softly and reaches out to cup Victor’s face, before his lips brush Victor’s.

It’s a chaste kiss, something shy and innocent, but it still sends a shiver of warmth down Victor’s spine and through his tail. It’s everything he wanted and what he didn’t dare dream for in a single touch of lips. Yuuri wants this. Yuuri _asked_ for this. He wants Victor and Victor wants him and he never, ever, ever wants to let this go.

Too soon yet an eternity later, Yuuri pulls away, and rests his forehead against Victor’s. For a moment they simply meet each other’s eyes, and they breathe each other in and smile.

And then Victor remembers what started this all in the first place.

“It’s Makka, by the way.” Victor keeps his voice soft, afraid of shattering the moment. “She keeps bringing home presents when she thinks I’m bored. I think she’s off doing that, now.”

And Yuuri laughs, a soft twinkling with a musicality all its own. “Of course it is, Vitya.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smooch! Forst smooch!!!
> 
> As always, thank you guys so much for reading and supporting these fishy dorks! <3
> 
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	13. Day Thirteen - Scars

“Yuuri, where have you been!”

Yuuri’s barely made it into the cave before he’s wincing and wishing he could turn tail and back right out of it—but he’d left for a reason, even with Victor’s still healing from his ordeal. _Especially_ because of it. “Um…”

There’s a gasp, and then Victor’s finning slowly but surely toward Yuuri. “Is that a cut? And scratches? _Yuuri_ , what have you been doing?”

“I’m fine, Victor—um, Vitya.” Yuuri glances away from Vitya, Makkachin coming over and wrapping her arms around his tail while whistling excitedly.

“You’re not _fine_ , none of the ships that come around here could’ve caused those kinds of wounds, you and I both know it.” Vitya’s voice is firm, more stern that Yuuri’s ever heard it, and he can’t bring himself to meet his surely disappointed eyes. “You always go off and you don’t tell me when you’ll be back, and that was _fine,_ before…”

Before Yuuri kissed Vitya, before Vitya gave him this more intimate version of his name, before Yuuri decided that he can’t let Vitya live in fear of anything, ever again. Except it still doesn’t feel real, it doesn’t seem right that Vitya would choose to stay on some rock in space because of someone like Yuuri.

Yuuri swallows. “Y-You know you don’t have to settle for me, right? You’ll get better, and…”

“ _Yuuri_.” Vitya places a gentle hand on Yuuri’s face, tilting his head so that he’s looking into the blue galaxy of Vitya’s eyes. “Of course I know that. Am I really the type of Mer that would settle for anything?”

Yuuri gives a soft huff, despite himself. “No. You’re not.”

“Exactly.” Vitya smiles softly. “Now _what_ were you up to?”

“Ah.” Well, it’s now or never. Yuuri reaches into his bag, first withdrawing a few bones and scraps for Makka, who chitters excitedly until Yuuri throws them for her. Then he withdraws the large chunks of red and purple spacecraft, parts of the ship that Yuuri grabbed in hopes that Vitya would recognize it.

And by the way that Vitya’s eyes widen, he most definitely does. “But… _how_? Why?”

“I… I know how much it bothers you, knowing that this existed somewhere out there. That it could hurt and Mer—that it could hurt _you_ again. And I wanted to make sure you felt safe, and not worried, and… I wanted to prove myself.” Whether to Vitya or himself, Yuuri’s not entirely sure.

“Oh, Yuuri.” Vitya fingers wrap around Yuuri’s hand, and he finds his palm pressed against Vitya’s chest, so warm against the frigidness of space. “Though it’s so impressive that you did this—you have _no_ idea how amazing this is—I would never have doubted you could do it.”

Yuuri frowns. “But I—”

“No, Yuuri.” Vitya’s voice is firm again, enough to shut Yuuri up. “You don’t understand your own power, and your own attraction, and your own… _everything_. But even if you can’t believe my words, you can feel it, right here. No one else does this to me, Yuuri.”

And now that he’s paying attention, he can feel that Vitya’s usual, slow heart rate is faster than it should be, more excited, or happy, or… something.

Because of Yuuri?

Yuuri looks at Vitya, at the slight lilac flush across his cheekbones. He wants to question everything, but he can _feel_ what Vitya’s saying is true.

“I’m sorry,” Yuuri murmurs, his fingers tracing along one of the scars on Vitya’s chest.

Vitya’s breath hitches. “I-it’s all right. Just tell me when you go? And when you’ll come home? Please?”

That last word sounds a little too desperate, and it’s no mistake that Vitya’s blush has darkened.

“I will. I promise.” Yuuri raises his other hand and begins to let his fingers outline the scars on Vitya’s side, the raised flesh and distorted scales that are all Yuuri’s ever known of him, and makes him love his strong, brave Vitya even more.

“Thank you,” Vitya breaths, eyes fluttering shut as Yuuri’s fingers continue to wander, ghosting over sensitive skin, dips and ridges that the both of them have worked so hard to heal.

Yuuri fins a little closer, only hesitating a moment before pressing a light kiss to Vitya’s cheek. “Anything for you, Vitya.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These boys can't keep their hands to themselves. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> As always, thank you all SO much for continuing to read and support these love-struck dorks!!! <3 <3 <3
> 
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	14. Day Fourteen - Fanart

“Yuuri! I think you have a fan.” Victor tilts his head. “Or, _had_ a fan.”

“Hmm?” Yuuri comes over, leaning his head on Victor’s shoulder and Victor can almost hear him squinting at the human book balanced in his palm. “I don’t know why you read those tiny things instead of something we can get from another shoal—oh!”

As Victor flips the pages of his small book delicately with his claws, he shows Yuuri his discovery. Inside, there are few blurry photos of a Mer, and Vitya wouldn’t be sure who it was—until he catches sight of the illustrations inside. They’re beautiful renditions by someone who may not know Yuuri like Victor does, but it’s clear this person cares about his mate. Somehow. For whatever reason.

“I wouldn’t count on this Chihoko being dead you know, Vitya. Destroying the ship you found the book on doesn’t mean anything.” Yuuri muses, his hands trailing distractedly down Vitya’s sides, tracing the old scars there as he’s wont to do. “Hmm, this human makes me look a lot more graceful than I am.”

Victor gasps. “Yuuri, you are _more_ graceful than these silly pictures.”

Yuuri shrugs, an indistinct movement against Victor’s back. “They… they illustrate me with a lot of care, at least.”

Victor stiffens. “They don’t know you. They couldn’t care.”

“No, not like that, but I’ve never seen illustrations of a Mer that didn’t look horrific.” Yuuri lets out a breath. “It’s nice to be appreciated, rather than feared. Even if, well, we’ve proved them right to fear us.”

“Well, _I_ appreciate you more than this _Chihoko_ does.” Victor slams the book shut. “I’ll go and show _them_ , I’ll hunt this human down, kill them, and then I’ll illustrate a novel of you—no, many novels of you, and your beauty, and your grace, and—”

“No, you don’t need to hunt down this one human for being somewhat _respectful_.” Yuuri wraps his arms fully around Victor.

“ _You_ hunted down a Mer-killing ship to avenge me, this is the least I can do for your honor—”

“Vitya!” Yuuri laughs, clutching Vitya even as he tries to wiggle away. “When I destroyed those ships for you, it was because they were dangerous, and they were worrying you. You have no reason to be jealous of some human that either of us could and would eat in one bite.”

Victor stops resisting in Yuuri’s arms, going limp and causing Yuuri to giggle again as he catches Victor before he falls too far. “Fine. I guess I’ll have to impress you in other ways, then.”

He has been working on that potion for Yuuri. It isn’t finished, but maybe soon…

Yuuri nuzzles into Vitya’s neck, warm and too good to his ridiculous mate. “You impress me every moment we’re together, Vitya. Just stay by me, and that’s enough.”

Vitya smiles. Maybe they’re both a little ridiculous. And, well, that’s okay by him. “Always, Yuuri.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy to finally say I was able to include Chihoko in one of my fanfics, be proud of me internet.
> 
> As always, thank you so, so much for reading, and kudoing, and commenting! <3
> 
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	15. Day Fifteen - Horns

“Vitya, I’m back!” Yuuri grins as he hauls an entire spaceship onto their little moon, dropping it for Makka to figure out how to break into, which she immediately scrambles to do the moment she catches sight of Yuuri approaching. She could always use the stimulation, like any pet could, and she’s such a clever girl. Yuuri _may_ also like rewarding her as much as she likes being rewarded. “I know it’s earlier than I said I would come home, but… Vitya?”

The cave is empty.

Yuuri swims into their home, looking around, but knowing it would be hard to overlook a giant Mer. Vitya might have gone off to hunt himself, or gather supplies for a potion—it isn’t as if Yuuri’s trip was too very short. But normally he’d leave some sort of message, maybe he used one of his human notebooks? Though he would have set anything out if he wanted Yuuri to notice; he isn’t the obtuse one in this relationship…

As Yuuri’s about to turn and make sure he didn’t miss him on the surface somehow, there’s a movement. The pile of skins and furs that he and Vitya rest on shifts, just ever so slightly.

Yuuri narrows his eyes. Now that he’s looking closer, they are a little taller and more bulky than usual. He swims over and lets himself fall onto the lump hidden beneath everything. “Why are you hiding—ow!”

His cheekbone collides with something _hard_ , much harder than flesh and blankets should be.

“Yuuri! Are you all right?” There’s a rustle of movement, and then Vitya’s head is poking out, looking at Yuuri.

If Yuuri’s being totally honest, he doesn’t know _what_ he feels, because his Vitya is… different. Not enough that Yuuri can’t recognize him, his coloring is the same as it always is, his hair is as long and flowing as always, but on his head there are two sets of horns. One set curls off of Vitya’s head and into the air above it, the other curves down around his head. All of them are pearly white, and shimmering, and _phenomenal_.

Vitya’s hands snap down, drawing up the skins half over his face, as if that would cover his new horns at all. “Don’t say a word, I _know_.”

“You know what?” Yuuri can barely keep his eyes meeting Vitya’s, his fingers itching to _touch_. But there’s something wrong here, and though Vitya _looks_ well, that might not mean anything.

“That I… that these _things_ are ridiculous.” Vitya waves vaguely at his horns, glancing away.

“Ridiculous?” Yuuri scoffs. “The only thing that’s ridiculous here is how you’re acting about this. Why do you have horns?”

Vitya scowls. “Mating season.”

Yuuri blinks. “It’s… what?” But this is _nothing_ like his usual color change, and… Ah. This was why Vitya was so puzzled when Yuuri started shedding. He may never have asked, but it isn’t like he and Vitya were _truly_ mates yet back then. And being mates is a bit of a requirement to spending these sorts of seasons together—there isn’t much of a compulsion to do anything more than usual but, well. It _does_ help Yuuri’s stamina, and he fully intends on making use of that next time around. “This is what’s normal, in your shoal?”

Vitya hesitates, and then nods. “We typically fight the mate we’re trying to impress. If you win, you earn the right to court them.”

Yuuri reaches out and runs his fingertips along Vitya’s knuckles as he resists the urge to smile. “Does this mean I need to fight you, now? Earn the right to mate you?”

Vitya levels him an unamused glare—but at least he’s looking at Yuuri, now. “No. You’ve earned that many times over just being you, Yuuri. My shoal is idiotic, and too formal, and we aren’t anywhere near as pretty as yours is during mating season.”

Ah, there it is. The real reason Vitya’s hiding in their own home. He’d probably hoped that Yuuri would somehow be gone longer than his season, knowing him. Yuuri holds back a sigh. “You know you’ve already impressed me, Vitya. Pretty colors or not. Even if you never had a single mating season, even if you went bald—”

Vitya gasps. “Don’t even _joke_.”

Yuuri smiles, but reaches out to run a hand through Vitya’s hair to reassure him that yes, it’s still very much there. “I just want _you_ Vitya. And I do really like these horns…” He can’t resist any longer, his fingers gently skimming around the base of the horn and the delicate skin there. The hard surface is cool, but pleasantly so.

Vitya shivers—the skin must be sensitive. “They’re not nearly as impressive as your colors.”

“Oh?” Well, looks like Yuuri’s just going to have to show his appreciation, then. He wraps his hand around one of the horns that curl around Vitya’s head, yanking it toward him with a gasp from his Vitya. “I can think of a few ways we can make them… impressive.”

Another shiver runs through Vitya, shuddering Yuuri’s hand where it’s wrapped around him. “I-I’m listening.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does it make sense for Yuuri and Victor to have such different mating season changes? Probably not. Am I doing it anyway? Yes. Also! You may have noticed this is supposed to be 14, and “fanart” is supposed to be 15, but I fricked up!!! So here we are.
> 
> As always, thank you all so, so much for reading!!! <3 <3 <3
> 
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	16. Day Sixteen - Glow

Victor wakes up slowly, but before Yuuri, as is usual. Yuuri would probably sleep through a human’s lifespan if left to his own devices, which is why he’s lucky for Vitya—especially in times like these.

“Yuuri.” Victor kisses Yuuri’s nose, then his cheek, then just beneath his pointed ear.

Yuuri’s nose wrinkles. “Mmm, Vitya, it hasn’t been long enough.”

“Yes it has.” Victor finally leans in for what he’s been craving and the one way he can be _sure_ Yuuri’s awake, and presses their lips together.

Yuuri hums appreciatively, lazily draping his tail and arms around Victor, drawing him in—and Victor goes willingly.

“Don’t distract me,” Yuuri mumbles, easily sidetracking Victor by lazily biting his lip. “Why are we awake? We just got back home, I deserve to sleep.”

“You deserve the universe, Yuuri,” Victor murmurs, moving away to kiss along Yuuri’s cheek. “I just…”

“You just what?” Yuuri pulls back a little to look at Victor with groggy eyes.

Rather than saying a word, Victor just reaches down, takes Yuuri’s right hand in his own, laces their fingers, and brings their joined hands together so they can both see what barely glitters in the faint glow of the moss of their cave.

Tattoos lace in a crystallized pattern around a finger, trailing down the back of their hands and around their wrist in a way that completes only when their arms are pressed together, the inside of their wrists bare. They’d only just got them, the gold and silver metallic ink fresh and shimmering, though it would only ever fade so much. It is permanent. Not that anything about them was ever in question, but now there’s no question for anyone even just glancing at them. Their tattoos are unique, _theirs_ , and no one can take it away.

Finally catching on, a small smile spreads across Yuuri’s face. “You aren’t tired of them yet?”

“No, of course not.” Victor brings up and kisses their joined knuckles. “You?”

“Never, Vitya. Never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Newlywed dorks being super sappy, no one is surprised. I think this is the shortest entry, but hopefully the pure, wholesome sap makes up for it?
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for continuing to read and support these dorks!!! <3
> 
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	17. Day Seventeen - Bubbles

Yuuri slips into boiling, sulphuric waters of his home planet and breathes out a soft sigh. The lava pools that he’s been to a few times near his and Vitya’s moon are good, of course they are, but there was nothing really like home.

His brow furrows as he runs his hands along the bubbling surface of the pool. Is this really home, though? It’s where he spent most of his childhood, where his family lives. It’s not like he set out to find another place to call home…

But that seems to be what he’s found, anyway.

“Yuuri, it’s so good to see you in your favorite pool again! It’s been so long.”

Yuuri lets his head fall back, a small smile spreading across his face. “Hi, Mom.”

She ruffles his hair as she slips into the pool next to Yuuri, far enough to give him space, but close enough that he could touch her, if he wanted. “It’s strange to see you without Victor.”

Yuuri’s grateful the pool already has his face flushed—not that his mom wouldn’t somehow _know_. “I-I do things without him, you know.”

“You do,” she admits easily enough, moving her deep purple tail back and forth in an almost unconscious sort of motion. “But you can tell you’re very close.”

Nothing could hide the level of flush on Yuuri’s face, now. They haven’t been there for very long, barely two days on this planet’s cycle, and between Makkachin, and Yuuri’s apologizing, there hasn’t been much time to catch up. He’s given his family a few gifts as apologies, but they only accepted the gifts and _not_ the apologies, leaving Yuuri feeling awkward and stuck between what he should do, and what he can’t do.

But beyond that, he hasn’t told his family Vitya and himself are mates.

Yuuri clears his throat, sinking down into the water a little further. “We’re… very close.”

“I know.” His mother grins, all sharp teeth and somehow kindness. “I’m happy you found someone. We were so worried, after you ran away.”

“It wasn’t running away—”

“You can lie to yourself Yuuri, but not to us.” Her smile doesn’t waver as she reaches out and ruffles Yuuri’s hair. “It doesn’t matter why you were gone, though, nor who you’re with. Just so long as you know you’re always welcome, and we love you.”

Yuuri’s silent a moment, sinking low enough into the water to blow bubbles of his own into the roiling water. “Thanks, Mama.”

“Don’t thank me for the truth.” She waves her hand. “I’m proud of you and everything you do.”

“Mama,” Yuuri grumbles, rubbing at his face.

“For everything you’ve done of course, but I especially love your mate and his little pet! You chose quite a handsome and sweet one.”

“ _Mama_ ,” Yuuri covers his face, but can’t help but smile a little behind his palms. Vitya is handsome, and very sweet, and always so kind to Yuuri. And Makka may not be what Yuuri would call ‘little,’but he’s quietly happy she seems to care about him almost as much as Vitya, now.

He isn’t grateful that Makka got ill—they’ll have to make sure they watch her so she stops eating humans _whole_ —but he is grateful that he got to come home. He loves that Vitya loves his family, and that they love him. If he didn’t love the quiet and privacy of their little moon so much, he’d happily stay here forever.

Yuuri drops his hands, seeing a matching smile on his mother’s face. “Speaking of Vitya, where is he? I thought he’d have joined me by now.”

His mom tilts her head. “Oh, I’m sure he’d have wanted to, but he got distracted. Mari took him out hunting. I believe they made weapons out of the pieces of ship you brought with you.”

Mari? _Alone_? With _Victor?_ Oh. Oh _no_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mama Katsuki knows what's up.
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for still reading!!! :D
> 
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	18. Day Eighteen - Skull

“And this is the skull from Yuuri’s first kill!” Yuuri’s father, Toshiya, holds out a skull, letting Victor take it with delicate, worshipful fingers.

Vitya gasps softly, turning it over in his hands.

“You’ve seen hundreds of skulls before, this is _no different_ ,” Yuuri grumbles from the corner of the nest—the Katsukis seem to live in a series of interconnected nests in the planet’s dense brush, very little like his and Yuuri’s own cave.

Knowing Yuuri, he probably originally chose the place because it wasn’t like home, but Victor honestly prefers it. And if what Yuuri’s said means anything, Yuuri prefers it a little now, too.

“This is completely different!” Victor cradles the small skull in his palms. “A small Yuuri once held this, and _that_ is exceptionally important.”

Yuuri rolls his eyes.

“Oh, he was so chubby back then, too!” Yuuri’s mom, Hiroko, holds her face, obviously reminiscing.

Victor’s eyes widen. His Yuuri is perfect, of course he is, but _oh_ , a chubby Yuuri? A softer Yuuri for Victor to embrace? He can absolutely get behind this.

“ _Mom_.” Yuuri pushes himself up on the palms of his hands, tail lashing behind him. “Vitya doesn’t need to know about… about things that are embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing?” Victor delicately hands off the skull to whoever’s closest, he doesn’t really know who with his eyes glued to Yuuri. “I think it sounds _adorable_.”

“You wouldn’t say that if I was like that now.” Yuuri glances away, tail stilling for a moment before continuing its anxious pattern.

“No, I wouldn’t.” Victor wraps his arms around Yuuri, loose enough Yuuri can shake him off if he wants to. “I would say that you’re gorgeous, and divine, and wonderful—same as I do now.”

Yuuri scoffs. “Yeah, sure.”

“You think I’m lying?” Victor sniffs, affronted. “You could grow _legs_ and I would love you just as much as I do now. And you know ridiculous I think legs look.”

Yuuri glances over his shoulder, meeting Victor’s gaze with one, incredulous eye. “Really?”

“Yes.” Victor leans forward to peck Yuuri’s nose, pointedly ignoring the soft, happy sigh from Hiroko. “I know that you are absolutely wonderful at any size, and any shape. I’d love to have a new, different Yuuri to learn as well as I know this one.”

Yuuri blinks, as if the truth of Vitya’s words is finally sinking in. “But… why?”

“If I grew legs, or gained weight, or lost half my fins,” Victor winces on the last one, since some of his fins really never grown back quite right after Yuuri saved him, “would you still love me?”

Yuuri turns fully in Victor’s arms, taking Victor’s face in his hands. “Of course Vitya.”

“Then you understand.” He moves his head to press a kiss into Yuuri’s palm. “It’s the exact same situation, Yuuri.”

“Ugh, get your own nest, you two.” Mari snickers from where she’s been observing in a corner.

“We already have one.” Victor kisses Yuuri’s cheek in an obnoxious, loud manner that makes Yuuri giggle despite himself. “Thank you, though.”

Yuuri groans, and Victor takes that as an invitation to smother him with more kisses until Yuuri’s parents eventually shoo them from the nest to enjoy themselves elsewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't let Mari fool you, the Katsukis adore their lovebirds.
> 
> Man there are _so many_ of these now! Thank you all for continuing to read!!!! <3
> 
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	19. Day Nineteen - Tiny

“Where is he?”

Yuuri turns from where he’s been lying next to Makka, stroking her fur sleepily while both of them enjoyed the warmth of the distant sun.

But now there’s a Mer there, casting a shadow in their light. A small Mer with an angry slant to his green eyes and blonde hair that’s shorter than Vitya’s, but longer than Yuuri’s. His scales are primarily black, but gold in a way that’s too similar to Vitya’s not to notice. Not to mention the shapes and placement of his fins are alike too, though different in general and with Vitya’s scars even more so.

Still, it’s obvious this Mer is from Vitya’s shoal.

He’s come for Vitya.

“You… Ah, are you here to see Vitya?” Yuuri winces at how obvious the answer to that question is.

The small Mer bares his teeth. “What are _you_ doing calling him _that_?”

Makka finally stirs at the sound of Vitya’s name on Yuuri’s tongue—Vitya had kicked them out while he was experimenting on a new spell or potion or something, Yuuri’s not too sure what it is. But he’d seemed so excited, and…

It doesn’t have anything to do with this, does it?

Did Vitya somehow summon this Mer?

There’s a small moment of quiet, and then Makka trills and that’s all the warning the small Mer gets before the kraken shoots through space and envelops him in her tentacles and arms.

The small Mer immediately begins screeching, and Yuuri _should_ help him out, but is it so bad if he takes a moment to laugh? The Mer obviously knows Vitya somehow… Oh, Yuuri should be getting him, shouldn’t he?

Or maybe not. Familiar arms wrap around Yuuri from behind, and lips press against his cheek.

“If I knew this would make you laugh, I would have invited Yura sooner.”

Yuuri frowns. “I laugh all the time. And you invited him?”

“He did _not_.” The small Mer—Yura?—breaks free of Makka’s grip, swimming over with sharp strokes of his tail. “I had to hunt him down after he disappeared and everyone thought you were _dead_ , you bastard.”

“Oh, you were worried about me Yura?” Vitya’s voice is light, but Yuuri doesn’t miss the way his arms tighten around Yuuri’s waist.

“Yura is _not_ my name, not to you! Not anymore! It’s _Yuri_.” He spits out his own name like a curse. “Not that you deserve to use it at all after running away like that. C’mon, we’re going home.”

Vitya downright stiffens around Yuuri. “I…”

“This _is_ Vitya’s home.” Yuuri lifts up his chin to stare down his nose at tiny Yuri.

“Stop calling him that!” Yuri jabs a finger at Yuuri.

Vitya swats it away. “He’s my mate. He can call me whatever he likes.”

 _That_ stops Yuri, the fight and anger draining from him and leaving his mouth hanging open while Makka’s arms wrap around him again—and he doesn’t even fight it.

Yuuri lets out a long breath. So much for relaxation time with Makka. “I think you’d better come in. It sounds like we have quite a bit to talk about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise of hands: who saw the prompt for today and knew _exactly_ where I was going to go with it?
> 
> Thank you guys so, so much for continuing to read and support these sappy boys!!! <3
> 
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	20. Day Twenty - Hybrid

Yura won’t _leave_.

Yes, he’s technically a child and probably came looking for Victor without even so much as letting Yakov or his grandfather know, and yes, Victor is a fully mature adult who can and should take control of the situation and escort him back himself, but he had _plans_ and Yuri’s _ruining them_.

“Vitya, don’t be so grumpy.” Yuuri murmurs as he comes up from behind, kissing Vitya on the cheek and causing a gagging noise to sound just outside the cave.

Victor sighs. “I’m sorry, I just…”

Yuuri swims around Victor, running his knuckles gently along Victor’s cheek. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Victor closes his eyes and leans into the touch. “I want to, it’s just… silly.”

“I hate to break this to you, but…” Yuuri meets Victor’s gaze, expression stern. “Vitya, you’re always silly.”

There’s a guffawing from wherever Yura’s playing with Makkachin outside the cave—not that he’d ever admit that’s what he’s up to.

“ _Yuuri_.” Victor slides down and collapses on the floor in a dramatic lump.

Yuuri laughs and sinks down to lie next to him, running fingers through Victor’s hair. His voice is so soft with his next words, Victor knows for a fact they can’t reach Yura. “Is it that you want to go back to your shoal?”

Victor’s head shoots back up. “ _What_?”

“You just…” Yuuri continues to stroke through Victor’s hair, looking at the movements of his fingers instead of Victor’s expression. “You keep staring off, and frowning, and… If you want to go back, we can talk about it. I’ll go with you anywhere, Vitya, you know that.”

Victor reaches up and stills Yuuri’s hand, forcing Yuuri to look at him. “This is my home, Yuuri.”

“I know, but if you wanted to—”

“I want to stay _here_.” He squeezes Yuuri’s hand gently. “With you and Makka, where we can enjoy our time together without the watchful eye of my shoal on us all the time, without the expectations of being the best, without everyone keeping a safe distance and making either of us feel ostracized. This is home. _You_ are home.”

Yuuri frowns. “Then… why are you unhappy?”

Victor sighs, but shifts a little closer, so he can whisper in Yuuri’s ear. “Because _Yura_ won’t let me enjoy my beautiful mate in peace and quiet. It’s like he thinks the longer he’s here, the more likely I am to come back and take over his apprenticeship from Yakov”

“And you don’t want that?” Yuuri tilts his head.

“ _No_.” Victor wilts. “But I don’t want to send him back alone, and…”

“Hmm.” Yuuri leans forward, kissing Victor on the forehead. “How about we start by making him a safety charm for his travel so you’ll worry less about him going, and work out the details later? So you don’t have to wallow anymore, silly.”

Oh, Victor should have told Yuuri about this so much sooner. “That’s a brilliant idea, Yuuri. What a smart Mer I managed to woo as my mate.”

Yuuri snorts, pulling away to dig through their collection of bones for one that’s the right shape and size for their purpose. “Well, _one_ of us has to be sensical.”

Victor is tempted to point out that Yuuri, despite having taken down the galaxy’s most powerful ships and creatures, still insists he’s a terrible hunter and that isn’t exactly what Victor would call _sensical_ , but he’ll pick that fight another time. As it is, Yuuri hands off the bone he’s chosen along with Victor’s preferred assortment of herbs and such for something like this—he’s sent Yuuri off with enough of them that he’s more than familiar—and then lets Victor get to work while Yuuri sets about tidying up the mess that naturally comes with having one more body than you’re used to in a home.

Victor begins without a moment’s hesitation, arranging everything in a particular order to align with the correct gravitational pulls, planets, and stars, and then closes his eyes to concentrate on drawing the power out of him.

That’s when Yuuri’s voice begins to weave into the air.

Victor’s never been one to work with a partner with any form of magic. He typically prefers the precision and control that comes with working alone. Yuuri seemed the same way, too—until they figured out that they could work together even with different forms of magic at the same time.

Yuuri’s far from an amateur at Victor’s preferred methods anymore, but his most natural expression of magic is still through song, and it weaves through Victor’s physical powers so precisely that it gives Victor chills at how beautiful and powerful they are as a team. Victor does still enjoy working by himself at times, but as always, Yuuri manages to break Victor’s mold and make him truly appreciate working with a partner.

Between the two of them, the charm is done in a quarter of the time it would be for either of them on their own. Yuuri smiles as he continues to hum nonsense rhythms, and Victor holds up their creation.

“That’s so _cool_.”

Victor spins around, finding Yura peeking into the entrance of the cave with wide eyes.

Yura fins further into the cave. “Teach me!”

Yuuri and Victor exchange a look, and Victor bites back a groan. Teaching Yura would probably be a unique form of hell all its own, but… what excuse does Victor have to refuse? How could he get out of it and convince Yura to go home after that?

“Fine, we’ll teach you,” Yuuri says the inevitable words, making Victor wilt. “ _After_ you finish your training with Yakov.”

Yura groans and Victor all but tackles Yuuri, nuzzling into the side of his neck.

Oh, his mate is _brilliant_ and Vitya _loves him_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silly bois being silly, no one is surprised.
> 
> Thank you all so much for continuing to read and support this silly monsters!!! <3
> 
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	21. Day Twenty-One - Octopus

“Get your fucking octopus off me!”

Yuuri grins at the sound of Yura’s voice, attention not straying from the pot he’s stirring. Yura visits every now and again, sharing his progress in his lessons, at first under some vain hope that Vitya and Yuuri would take him under their wing and train him before he’s learned everything Yakov can teach him, but now… Well, now it almost seems like he just comes because he wants to?

“She’s a kraken, Yura.” Vitya clucks his tongue from where he lounges on the ground next to Yuuri. “And she loves you!”

“Oh, don’t give me that bull.” Yura waves his arms, his bag flinging this way and that, though notably he never actually hits Makka. “Get her off!”

Vitya, unsurprisingly, just snickers.

“Makka, come here!” Yuuri waves his hand, taking mercy on poor Yura.

“Aw, you ruined my fun, Yuuri.” Vitya whines, lying back down and blowing his hair away from his face.

“Wait. What is _that_?” Yura hisses as he points to Yuuri’s hand.

“Oh!” Yuuri clutches his right hand to his chest. It’s not that he’s ashamed, more… protective.

It’s been a little while since Yuuri and Vitya snuck off and gotten the tattoos wrapping around their finger and wrist, but it’s still extremely fresh in Yuuri's mind, new in a way Yuuri wonders if he'll ever get used to—and he doesn't exactly want to.

"You know exactly what it is, Yura," Vitya sing-songs, even if there's a bit of a strain in his voice as he waggles the fingers of his tattooed hand in plain sight.

"What the _fuck_ ," Yura hisses. "What are you doing with that piece of trash on you?”

Vitya stills.

"It's not trash, Yura," Yuuri says, even as his focus stays on Vitya laying stiff as a board on the ground.

"Disgusting." Yura snarls.

Vitya moves in a blur, a single snap of his tail bringing him to Yura, grabbing the younger, smaller Mer's face in his hand. "What, is little Yura jealous?" Vitya's voice is probably meant to be teasing, but it’s cold enough to make a shiver run down Yuuri's spine.

It doesn't seem to phase Yura, though. "You _wish_. I thought you got how ridiculous everything we're supposed to do in our shoal is, but I guess I'm wrong. I guess you're still a piece of garbage."

"I'd rather be a happy piece of garbage than a child that doesn't know when to pick a fight he can't win." Vitya bares his teeth.

Yuuri glances between the two of them, trying to figure out whether or not it's worth interfering. Yura is always trying to get under Vitya's skin, as always, but this is the first time Yuuri's ever seen him succeed.

"Let me go, jerk," Yura mutters, ripping the decision from Yuuri's claws.

Vitya immediately complies, though he doesn't back away. Yuuri catches Vitya’s lips moving, words to quiet for Yuuri to make out, but from the way Yura’s eyes widen, he hears.

“Fine,” Yura snaps, but he crosses his arms. “Whatever. It’s still gross, but congrats I guess.”

“Thank you, Yura.” Yuuri smiles a little, unsure what exactly he should be doing or thinking or feeling in this moment. He’s sure he’s missed something—maybe a lot—but he doesn’t exactly want to know what it was.

“Anyway, here’s what you asked for, old man.” Yura chucks a bag into Vitya’s chest as he moves past him and toward Yuuri.

Yuuri peers a little closer, but Vitya moves the bag quickly out of sight, not meeting Yuuri’s eye. Yuuri gives a mental shrug. “Are you staying for dinner, Yura?"

“Who's cooking?” Yura glances at Yuuri, then quickly away and… is that a brush of blue across his cheeks? What’s going on here?

Vitya wrinkles his nose a little, which should be enough of an answer, but Yuuri still says, “I am.”

Yura scoffs, taking the place that Vitya vacated next to Yuuri. “Then of course I am, idiots.”

Vitya begins to pout, and Yuuri tunes them out as his focus drifts back to the cauldron.

Well, his family may be odd, and may think they’re being subtle while they’re obviously up to something, but they’re still Yuuri’s and he loves them all the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those curious: Yuri’s canon crush on Yuuri made an appearance (though they all know he didn’t exactly stand a chance in the first place).
> 
> Thank you all, so, so much for continuing to read these murder monster dorks!!!!!!!
> 
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	22. Day Twenty-Two - Drink

Victor had told Yuuri to make himself at home in the bare little crevice he stayed in at his shoal before he’d been injured, but he knew better than to expect that to happen. Yuuri was so tense in this new place, surrounded by people Victor’s admitted he doesn’t love.

At least Makka’s with him. Still, Victor rushes to the artisan that will take care of their tattoos, though it takes a frustratingly long argument for the Mer to agree to it without going through the official channels. Luckily it helps that Yuuri’s from another shoal, and Victor _may_ bend the truth of Yuuri’s customs—or lack thereof, in reality—to finally get in and schedule their visit tomorrow.

Overall, it takes much, _much_ longer than he wanted and the last thing he expects to come back to is… giggling?

“Vitya!” Yuuri gasps, eyes wide and shimmering in the light of this planet’s red-hued sunset. “Makka, look! Vitya’s back!”

Makka doesn’t even so much as twitch in her slumber, completely tuckered out from whatever she and Yuuri have been up to.

Yuuri pouts, poking Makka in the side, and making her give a soft sort of snort.

“Yuuri, are you all right?” Victor moves forward slowly, eyeing Yuuri

“I’m _perfect_ now that you’re here, Vitya.” Yuuri spreads his arms wide and inviting and—

And that’s when Victor notices the bottle that Yuuri’s holding.

Ah.

Victor swims forward, subtly removing the potion from Yuuri’s hand and letting him wrap his around Victor, nuzzling into him and humming a small song of contentment.

It’s a potion that Victor designed after reading about human alcohol and the physical and mental effects it had on them, and was a great hit among Mers. It seemed so strange how the humans enjoyed quite literally poisoning themselves, but this far safer version is fun, he can admit that now.

Especially with a warm and grinning Yuuri in his arms, leaning closer to Victor for he can whisper in his ear. “Vitya, I have a secret.”

Victor can’t help but smile. “Oh?”

“A very, very big secret.” Yuuri pulls back then, suddenly seeming to not care who hears his secret as he states his words loudly and meets Victor’s eyes.

“I’m intrigued.” Victor reaches up, brushing some hair from Yuuri’s forehead.

“Absolutely _no one_ can know.” Yuuri’s absolutely serious set to his mouth makes it hard for Vitya to not laugh.

Heavens, no wonder Yuuri’s so out of it—he drank the whole bottle. Victor will make Yuuri sleep when he’s got whatever it is off his chest so he doesn’t obsess. But for now… “It’s almost like you don’t trust me, Yuuri!”

“No!” He pulls Victor toward him in a tight hug, _so_ strong in a way that shouldn’t be surprising—but Yuuri’s always so careful not to show off. “I trust you _most_ , Vitya. The absolute most.”

“Then won’t you tell me?” Victor whines into his ear.

He can feel more than see Yuuri bite his lip. “This is the most important thing, though.”

“I promise I’ll protect it.” Victor runs his fingers through Yuuri’s soft hair.

“Really?” Yuuri glances up at him.

“Really.”

“All right. Okay.” Yuuri draws a shaky breath. “Vitya, I love you.”

Victor tries to stop himself, but he can’t help it: he laughs.

Yuuri instantly pulls away, finning over toward Victor’s pile of bedding and burying himself in it.

“ _Yuuri._ ” Victor chases after Yuuri and tries to join him, only to get pushed away.

“No!” Yuuri’s lower lip trembles, and a part of Victor’s heart cracks. “It’s not funny and you’re laughing at me! Meanie!”

Victor bites his lip on another laugh. “I’m only laughing because it makes me happy.” He takes Yuuri’s hand and kisses it. “It’s lovely. You’re lovely.”

Yuuri hesitates before his resistance completely falls, and he lets Victor snuggle in close. “The most lovely?”

Victor smothers his face in kisses. “The most lovely thing I’ve ever seen. Ever.”

Yuuri giggles softly, his eyes falling shut as Victor can’t keep his hands to himself.

He won’t escalate things, of course—it may be a little different than human alcohol, but obviously Yuuri’s senses are a little… off at the moment. So Victor begins to rub nonsense patterns onto Yuuri’s back, and hums a lullaby that Yuuri himself used to sing to Victor when his injuries were at their worst and he needed to calm down.

He wasn’t even remotely lying; his Yuuri truly is the most lovely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it really a YoI AU without drunk shenanigans? ~~I sure hope so, considering this is only my second fic including it.~~
> 
> Thank you all, so, so much for continuing to read!!! <3 <3 <3
> 
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	23. Day Twenty-Three - Drown

“ _Yuuri_ , stop laughing!” Vitya pouts, then shows how angry he is by wrapping himself around Yuuri.

“You, ah,” Yuuri bites his lip against another giggle, making Vitya jut his bottom lip out further. “You’re not used to singing, are you?”

Vitya rolls his eyes. “Of course I am! I’ve sung in spacecraft before, you’ve watched me do it.”

Yuuri reaches out to run a hand through Vitya’s hair. He’s really not used to, well, not being the best, is he? “Of course I have, Vitya. And you’re so good at everything else, you don’t have to practice singing.”

Instead of answering, Vitya shoves his face into Yuuri’s side and starts grumbling against his scales and tickling him, making Yuuri laugh.

“Vitya, you know I love you for exactly who you are. If you want to do this, it’s fine. But you don’t have to learn.” Yuuri smiles a little at his absolutely ridiculous mate.

Singing is so ingrained in Yuuri that it’s a little strange to watch someone struggle with it—it seems so simple and easy in his mind, and Vitya is brilliant. They’re just calling in ships from a longer distance away, drowning out all meager human thoughts with their voices, but something about singing more complicated songs simply alludes Vitya.

“I _want_ to learn.” Vitya’s words are so muffled Yuuri barely makes them out.

“Why?” Yuuri tilts his head, trying to wrack his mind around anything that singing can do that other forms of magic can’t. Vitya is more powerful than any other Mer that Yuuri’s met in every way… except this.

Vitya’s quiet for a very long moment. “A secret.”

Yuuri frowns. “Does this have to do with what Yura brought over?”

All he gets as a response is non-committal humming.

Yuuri narrows his eyes. “And why you keep needing ‘alone time’ to make potions and charms I never see anything of?”

Vitya moves just slightly enough to peer at Yuuri with wary eyes. “Maybe.”

“Will you tell me about it?” Yuuri’s very careful _not_ to roll his eyes at Vitya and his dramatics, despite the temptation to.

Vitya glances away, and a prick of worry grows in Yuuri’s chest. It’s nothing. It’s always nothing when Yuuri worries about these kinds of things, but the thoughts still pop into his head. Maybe Vitya’s unhappy with him, maybe he’s plotting something awful, maybe, maybe, maybe.

But this isn’t about Yuuri’s worries right now, he _can’t_ let them consume him. Vitya has proven again and again who he is, and how much he loves Yuuri. And Yuuri needs to trust in that.

He takes a deep breath, and reaches out to gently turn Vitya’s face back toward him. “What’s wrong?”

Vitya frowns, borderline on a pout again, before sighing. “I just… I want to surprise you, like you’ve surprised me. I actually _want_ to use magic, for once, and I can’t get it to work how I want it to.”

“Oh, Vitya.” Yuuri runs his thumb along Vitya’s cheekbone. “Do you want help?”

Vitya hesitates, then shakes head. “I want to surprise you.”

“You’re enough for me even if you don’t surprise me, you know.” It seems obvious to Yuuri, but he of all people knows sometimes things like that need to be said aloud.

Finally, Vitya breaks into a grin. “I know, my precious Yuuri. But… can we try again?”

This time Yuuri doesn’t resist rolling his eyes. “Fine, you stubborn Mer.”

Vitya downlight beams, smile heart-shaped and so, so happy. “ _Your_ stubborn Mer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically they can't _drown_ the people thre drag in, but drowning them in their song counts, right? Right.
> 
> Ahhhh, we're getting so close to the end of the month! As always, thank you all so, so much for reading and supporting these ridiculous boys!!! <3
> 
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	24. Day Twenty-Four - Eyes

“Yuuri?” Victor reaches over and begins to play with Yuuri’s hair, so soft between his fingers.

Yuuri gives some vague grumbling, probably about needing more sleep, or Victor being mean, or any of the other usual things.

Victor probably shouldn’t be making this sort of thing a habit. Really, _really_ shouldn’t, if he’s being honest. And yet… Victor shifts to lying on his side, tracing what he can of Yuuri’s face with his fingertips. “Yuuri, wake up? It’s important.”

Finally, Yuuri shifts, turning to nuzzle his head into Victor’s chest, his soft hair tickling skin and scale. “What, Vitya?”

Victor beams, both at how lovely his name always sounds on Yuuri’s lips, and at how muffled that mess of words was. “No, Yuuri, I need you to look at my face.”

Yuuri takes a deep breath, and then squints—or maybe glares—up at Victor.

And, oh. He _should_ be able to remember how gorgeous those eyes are, he sees them every day, and he remembers how they make him feel, but he never quite seems to wrap his mind around their brilliance. They’re so warm, with flecks of gold and silver marking here and there. There are no pupils or whites marring Victor’s view like there would be in a human’s eye, Yuuri’s brown depths just seem to go on forever and ever…

“What is it?” Yuuri grumbles, frowning at Victor.

“Your eyes.” Victor breathes, gently cupping Yuuri’s face in his palms. “They’re breathtaking.”

Yuuri scoffs. “Is that why you woke me up?”

Victor hums a yes as he runs his thumbs along the faint blue flush painting Yuuri’s cheeks.

“Th-they’re _boring_ , don’t wake me up for something so silly.” Yuuri glances down, his frown only growing.

“Yuuri, _no_.” And Victor’s frowning now, too. This is _not_ what he had in mind when he woke Yuuri up. “How dare you insult my favorite sight in the galaxy.”

Yuuri scoffs. “They aren’t like yours. Yours actually look like a galaxy, or like distant planets, or…”

“This isn’t a competition, Yuuri!” Victor sighs, then tilts his head. “Unless you want to make it one?”

“No, I—!”

“Too late!” Victor leans down and kisses Yuuri’s forehead. “I love how warm your eyes are. I love how grounding they are. I love how they were the very first things I saw the moment I woke up after you saved me. I love how expressive they are, how everything you feel is written across the galaxy in them. Humans like to write about eyes being a window into the soul, and I can believe it with your eyes, Yuuri. I want to believe it.”

Yuuri knocks Victor’s hands away with his own, covering his face. “Stop, stop, stop! I give up, I surrender, okay?”

“No.” Victor kisses the crown of his head. “Not okay. I don’t want you to give up, I just want you to know that what I say is true, and I love every little thing about you.”

Yuuri’s quiet for a long moment before his lovely eyes peek from behind his fingers up at Victor. “Even when I’m like this?”

“Yes.” Victor smiles, soft and full of as much love as he feels. “Even when you can’t appreciate your own beauty. Because then _I_ can be there to appreciate it for you.”

Yuuri rolls his eyes, but Victor knows he must be smiling by how his eyes crinkle. “But no more compliments right now, okay?”

“Hmm,” Victor brings a finger to his lip, tapping it as he pretends to consider. “Perhaps. In exchange for a kiss, maybe.”

Finally, Yuuri’s hands drop before he leans up and presses his lips to Victor’s so softly, so sweetly, and brimming with love to the point that Victor almost chokes on it.

But then Yuuri pulls away, pressing his face into Victor’s chest. “Now sleep, and stop bothering me.”

Victor laughs. Yes, he loves all sides of his Yuuri, even this sleepy, grumpy version.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the next are out of order again since I couldn’t write the following from Vitya’s POV, so… hope you enjoyed Vitya waxing poetic about his Yuuri! Mostly. Tfw you go into write fluff and the boys get real with their feelings.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and supporting the monster dorks!!!!
> 
> [Prompt List](https://kazul9.tumblr.com/post/184559117828/lem0ns-art-welp-since-i-am-a-glutton-for) | [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/hmvKrGp) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Kazul9) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Kazul9)


	25. Day Twenty-Five - Toxic

Yuuri’s not going to be able to save him.

He doesn’t know what even made him think he _could_ when he found this Mer by the pools of lava on a foreign planet. Mers are so strong until they’re _not_ , and it’s been so long of just sitting here next to this silver-haired Mer and singing. The Mer’s pulse hasn’t stopped, but he sweats, and he shivers, and though his wounds scab over, his eyes never open. There’s probably some poison or toxin in his system, but Yuuri knows next to nothing about healing. He doesn’t know much about anything.

In his weakest moments, Yuuri wonders what color the Mer’s eyes are. He speculates on whether his voice is deep, or high-pitched. He imagines a life where he isn’t alone, and maybe this Mer wants to be his friend.

But he _shouldn’t_ think about these things. Not just because he’s owed absolutely none of it, but because he has to stay focused. Song is something that takes mind, body, and soul, and Yuuri feels like it’s an art he’s still constantly trying to master. He’s hardly as good as the rest of his family, and even then, most of what he’s learned has been entirely for hunting.

He’s half making everything up as he goes, pouring his voice and his magic in the air. The kraken sometimes croons along with Yuuri, but mostly she just sleeps and gently wraps herself around her master.

Yuuri would be lying if he said that the kraken isn’t a large part of the reason why he hasn’t given up. He might never be able to give up, honestly, but every time exhaustion begins to weigh down his bones, and his eyes droop, and his notes waver, he looks at how much this kraken cares for its Mer—how lovingly and gently she handles him and tries to care for him. She’s well loved, that much is obvious. And she deserves to be well-loved.

And Yuuri he… He really wants to meet the sort of Mer that raises a kraken to be like this. Whoever can have this kind of compassion has to be a good person, they have to deserve to live.

So Yuuri sings and sings until his voice is raw, until he’s run out of supplies, until he’s nearly keeled over and it’s only leaning against the kraken that keeps him upright, and then—

And then the fever breaks.

Yuuri can only hardly believe it’s real and not some exhaustion-induced delusion. The kraken seems to sense that something’s changed, and immediately falls into a sleep deeper than any she’s had before. Yuuri nearly collapses himself, but his eyes catch on the poor Mer’s hair, still in tangles even if Yuuri’s managed to clean off the rest of him.

With shaking hands, Yuuri reaches out and begins to gently pull apart the mats in the Mer’s hair.

It’s okay.

It’s going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Five seconds later, Vitya opens his eyes and instantly overwhelms a poor tired Yuuri—but you guys already knew that. ;)
> 
> I'm sorry this one is a liiiiittle bit angstier than normal--but all's well that ends well? Thank you all so, so much for reading! ~~If you also read Resplendent I sWEAR I DID NOT MEAN FOR THIS CHAPTER TO POST ON THIS DAY AND I AM ACTUALLY SINCERELY SORRY~~
> 
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	26. Day Twenty-Six - Jellyfish

“Vitya.” Yuuri’s voice barely breaks through the fog of Victor’s sleep. “ _Vitya_!”

Victor’s eyes snap open as Yuuri jostles his shoulder. Yuuri’s never the first to wake up— _ever_. Victor doesn’t much care about always being the first awake, since it means he can watch Yuuri slumber.

But that makes _this_ all the more odd. “What is it, Yuuri?”

“It’s almost time!” Yuuri’s tail lashes behind him, and his eyes are wide and sparkling in the light of the phosphorescent moss of their cave.

Victor squints. Yuuri’s… excited. “ _What_?” Victor repeats, because that’s honestly the only thing he can even think.

“C’mon Vitya!” Yuuri grabs his hand and starts tugging him forward—and, _wow,_ Victor forgets how strong Yuuri can be at times. “They don’t stay for very long.”

“What don’t stay for very long?” Victor blinks as he slowly fins after Yuuri.

“You’ll _see_.” Yuuri sighs. “Makka’s already out there, you’re being too slow!”

“I’m coming, I’m—” Victor gasps.

Instead of the vastness of space outside their cave, their world has shrunk and all around them, almost closing them in are… jellyfish. Hundreds and hundreds of them, maybe the size of Victor’s head and glowing in faint pastels that make the air almost seem to shimmer.

“Yuuri,” Victor breaths, eyes flitting from creature to creature. “How did you know these would _be_ here?”

“Well, they come one other time, before…” There’s the faint noise of Yuuri swallowing. “Before you were here.”

Before Yuuri had any sort of company, when he was lonelier than any Mer ever should be. Victor turns to watch Yuuri in the odd, delicate light, how he avoids meeting Victor’s eyes. If he’s not talking about it, then wasn’t a good memory for him. And yet he’s still here, sharing this with Victor. Ready and wanting to make new memories with him and Makka, this small family they’ve created here.

Oh, Victor loves this Mer.

Yuuri’s eyes flit toward Victor, then away again. “I was wondering if they’d come again, the planets are in formation.”

Victor grips Yuuri’s hand tighter, and tugs him forward. “Let’s check them out.”

Yuuri lips spread into a wide grin, and he nods his agreement. They swim between and around the giant cloud of migrating jellyfish engulfing their moon. They’re beautiful creatures, gracefully gliding through the weightlessness of space, jewel-like and entrancing to watch.

But, of course, Victor can barely keep his eyes off Yuuri. The colors paint his skin and scales in fascinating, delectable tones, and he almost seems to move _with_ the mass of jellyfish. As if he’s privy to the dance that makes his own frills and fins move in such alluring movements.

And who is Victor to resist their pull?

He moves a little closer to Yuuri, wrapping his arms around his waist, and preening when Yuuri takes Victor’s face in his hands and pulls him into a kiss. It’s gentle and soft as the delicate dance around them for a long moment, before Yuuri takes Victor’s lip between his deliciously sharp teeth, and then there’s absolutely no world outside their little bubble. Only Yuuri, and his heat, and his mouth.

Finally Yuuri pulls back, grinning and breathless and—and eyes popping wide open? He darts off before Victor can even think of words to ask anything.

“Makka, stop eating them!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Makka really needs to learn how to control her eating habits, smh.
> 
> Thank you for putting up with these shenanigans and reading this ridiculous project of mine!!!!! <3
> 
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	27. Day Twenty-Seven - Giant

“Vitya?” Yuuri’s lying on top of Makka, playing with her arms and tentacles while she hums and chitters softly beneath them. “Why is Makka so giant? Vicchan was so small.”

It’s quiet for a long moment, and Yuuri almost turns to glance at Vitya by the cauldron before it strikes him—he hasn’t talked about Vicchan before. Sure he mentioned… well, what had happened when they were on the back of the giant, white manta ray, but that was _different_. That was an event, not Vicchan himself.

Vitya’s voice is hesitant as he asks, “Vicchan… was smaller than Makka?”

Yuuri nods, fingers tracing around Makka’s suction cups. “Maybe half her size.”

“Hmm.”

Yuuri glances over at him. Victor’s tone is casual, but his posture is stiff and entirely pointed toward the cauldron. Yuuri would just say he was just focused, but it’s odd for Victor’s focus to not shift to Yuuri when he talks—it’s been the cause of many, _many_ ruined potions.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Yuuri turns his attention back to Makka, drawing her tentacles in close so they can happily wrap around him. “I’m sorry. Just… pretend I didn’t say anything.”

There’s a small _tsk_ from Vitya, and Yuuri cringes further into Makka’s side—

Until arms wrap around him, and Yuuri’s sandwiched between two exceptionally clingy creatures.

“I didn’t want to make a big deal about you talking about Vicchan, that’s all,” Vitya says softly. “Though… it seems like I failed in that. But I don’t know why Vicchan was smaller, Yuuri. Maybe he and Makka were different breeds.”

Yuuri hums, content in his living cocoon. “Maybe. I don’t know. The group he belonged to were passing by the planet my family nests on, and they just… they left him.”

Vitya sucks in a breath. “Maybe it was because he was a runt?”

“Maybe.” Yuuri lets his eyes close, lets himself be surrounded by the comfort of his family. “We never had any issues with him, though. He was easy to train to help on hunts, and he was just… a good kraken.” Yuuri lets the silence stretch on a little before uttering the words he never dared voice before. “I… I miss him.”

Victor nuzzles in a little closer. “I’m happy he was there for you when you needed him.”

Yuuri’s eyes burn, and for once he doesn’t fight the tears as they fall onto Makka’s fine, short little furs. Heavens, it wasn’t fair. He could have done so much differently in retrospect, but he can’t change anything, and now he has to deal with these feelings, and…

Yuuri sniffs. “Is something… burning?”

Vitya curses, disentangling to go and lift the cauldron of the witchfire.

Yuuri opens his mouth, but Vitya interrupts. “Don’t you dare apologize!”

“Fine!” Yuuri laughs quietly, hoarsely, and starts playing with one of Makka’s arms. “Then, I love you.”

Vitya beams, nearly dropping the cauldron back down before catching himself. “I love you, too, Yuuri.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the feelings!!!!!! At least they're softer feelings? Also, the next drabble is one that was much, MUCH requested, so look forward to that!
> 
> Thank you for reading and putting up with this inevitable, tiny dose of angst! :'D
> 
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	28. Day Twenty-Eight - Warrior

Makkachin is back in the Katsuki’s cave, recovering— _really_ she knows better than to eat an entire human whole—and normally Victor would embrace the chance to get out and explore somewhere new. He gets a little restless in larger groups like Yuuri’s shoal, even if it’s not as large as the one Victor’s come from.

But it’s Yuuri’s sister who’s taken Victor out hunting, and he wishes he could have said no and stayed curled up with Makka and Yuuri.

It’s not that Victor doesn’t like Mari. He’s fond of everyone in Yuuri’s shoal—even Yuuko and Takeshi’s energetic triplets—but Mari is a wildcard. She hasn’t said much to him, she’s barely even looked at him. It’s not like he’s really done anything to earn their favor, he was so exhausted once they got there and got Makkachin set up with the potion she needed, that the moment he was _sure_ she was fine, he and Yuuri just fell asleep on the ground next to her. They’ve only been here for two days, and they’ve mostly been a hindrance.

Yuuri’s parents don’t seem to care much about that, though. They smile and they thank Victor for making their son happy enough to be able to come home again.

But not Mari.

“So… what are we hunting?” Victor attempts to start conversation as they dart around a planet, and begin to head away from the shoal’s solar system.

Mari spares him a side-eyed glance. “Minako was able to forge a couple of weapons with the metal Yuuri brought back from that ship he destroyed that pretty much killed you.”

Victor clears his throat. Well, that’s one way to put it. “I thought that the metal couldn’t be broken?”

Mari rolls her eyes. “Broken? No. Melted down and forged? Yes.”

“Ah.” Victor eyes the spears held in her hands, half considering to ask for one, but deciding maybe it’s best if he shuts up. For now.

Mari raises a hand, stopping them both. “There they are.”

Victor freezes. In the distance there are at least a hundred ships, maybe more. This isn’t something for two Mers to take on. Whatever the humans are doing out there, they’re obviously prepared for… _something_. There might be another ship like the one that hurt Victor, there might be—

“Wait here.” Mari presses her hand briefly against his chest before turning toward the fleet.

“W-what?” Victor can barely get out, but Mari’s already darted forward and is rushing toward the ships.

He should go after her—and then do what? He can use magic effectively, but it’s more for practical uses. His songs don’t have the tug that Yuuri’s have—or that Mari’s have, apparently.

She begins to sing, and the ships turn toward her.

All of them.

Some of them are completely under whatever spell she’s weaving, but many of them fire at her and she just _darts around the lasers_ as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, using her spears to knock away heavier projectiles like missiles. Once she’s close enough, she begins spearing small, single-human battleships through on one of the weapons, amassing a small collection whose lights flicker out as the engines stop and their occupants succumb to the vacuum of space.

And once she’s got those, she begins to _rip_ and _tear_ and absolutely _obliterate_ the rest of the ships in the area, never running out of strength, her song never faltering.

On one hand, it’s absolutely horrifying and Victor can understand why humans felt the need to make that ship that attacked him.

On the other, this is what Yuuri must have done to that impossible ship. This is how he must have looked, like raw power personified, and—

And Victor needs to go hunting with Yuuri more often, obviously.

Finally, Mari’s deemed her destruction was enough, and swims casually back to Victor, motioning that he should follow her as they start to head back with her collection of small ships.

“Um.” Victor clears his throat, refusing to look at her directly. “Was this, well, a threat?”

“Yes, but not from me.” She glances at him. “If you think _that_ is impressive, you’ve obviously never seen my brother hunt. He deserves more respect than he gives himself credit for, and I want you to understand that.” Her eyes narrow while she regards him for a moment. “My entire shoal specializes in keeping the universe’s population in order. My skills are nothing compared to my parents who have done this for eons before me. Yuuri wouldn’t have broken a sweat breaking through all of those ships in half the time that I did. This is the family you’re now a part of, and you should know it.”

Victor swallows. “And you couldn’t just… tell me that?”

She eyes him for a moment, maybe looking for something. But when she finds whatever it is, she just shrugs and swims past Victor. “I was hungry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this house we stan badasses, justsayin'
> 
> Only a few days left, now. :o Thank you all so, so much for continuing to read about these dorks!!!
> 
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	29. Day Twenty-Nine - Food

Vitya came back from whatever he’d done while hunting with Mari looking very, _very_ pale—and he’s a pretty pale Mer to begin with. It doesn’t help that neither of Mari nor Vitya will talk about whatever they went off to do. Yuuri’s tried cuddling, he’s tried shunning, he’s tried whatever he can think of, but Vitya won’t talk about it.

So Yuuri sighs and turns to Mari, momentarily giving up on getting anything out of Vitya. “Do you need help cooking what you got, then?”

Vitya’s head snaps up. “ _Cooking_ it?”

Yuuri blinks down at him and a snoozing Makka. “Of course?”

“You don’t eat everything raw?” Yuuri’s never seen such a horrified expression on Vitya’s face.

That’s one way to snap him out of whatever it that’s got Vitya in a funk. “Well, no.”

“It’s the atmosphere!” Yuuri’s father comes a little closer to the mess of ships and ship parts Mari’s sorting through. “Without the cold of space, nothing stays preserved for very long.”

Vitya’s nose wrinkles. “That’s…”

“Here.” Mari holds out a chunk of… something, Yuuri’s not even sure what it is. “Try it.”

Vitya glances between whatever it is and Mari’s face a few times. “I’m fine, thank you, though.”

Mari arches an eyebrow.

“Vitya, you won’t eat at all while you’re here, then.” Yuuri frowns. “At least try it?”

“I’ll be fine, I’m sure.” Vitya doesn’t take his eyes away from the cooked food, clutching Makka a little tighter.

“Oh, you’re too much of a wimp, I see. Good thing you have my brother to protect you.” Mari smirks.

“Mari!” Yuuri and his mom scold in matching tones that makes Yuuri’s cheeks flush slightly.

But Vitya’s shoulders square and he sets Makka gently down on the floor. “I’m not a _wimp_.”

“It’s completely edible.” Mari tears off a chunk and throws it in her mouth. “See? There’s no reason not to try.”

Vitya and Mari’s eyes stay locked for a long moment, before Vitya lets out a sigh and snatches the remaining piece of food and shoves it in his mouth.

Everyone stills and goes quiet as Vitya chews and attempts not to make faces. Maybe he’s successful with the rest of his family, but all too obvious to Yuuri himself, and it takes all his self-control not to dart forward and pat him on the back.

Finally, Vitya swallows and give a slight cough. “It’s not… too bad.”

Both of Yuuri’s parents give a coo, finning closer to Vitya and talking fast enough that he only catches snatches of them promising how there are better preparation methods, and maybe he would like this, or that.

But Yuuri turns his attention to Mari. “What did you _do_ to him?”

Mari shrugs. “Nothing, we just went hunting. Don’t worry about it.”

Yuuri scoffs. “As if that’s going to happen.”

She rolls her eyes. “He’s fine. I didn’t threaten him or anything. I was just getting to know my brother in law.” She winks and swims away, leaving Yuuri’s face progressively getting more and more blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know how hard I had to work to make this funny and noT DISGUSTING WITH THEIR FOOD SOURCE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND
> 
> *ehem* Anyway! Two more to go! Thank you so, so much for continuing to read!!! <3 <3 <3
> 
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	30. Day Thirty - Pinup

“Yuuri, I finished!” Victor emerges from the cave, only realizing he’s cutting off Yuuri’s singing a second too late.

A flicker of irritation passes over Yuuri’s face, but all the same, he turns to Victor with barely a sigh and asks, “What, Vitya?”

Oh, he’s just so lovely and patient and… Victor clears his throat. “I finished it.”

Yuuri’s eyebrows shoot up. “You finished whatever potion it is you’ve been working on for ages?”

“Ah, no.” Victor waves one hand, the other hiding behind his back. “That I’m still working on, it’ll be ready soon. But I finished what I promised you I’d make.”

“You… what?” Yuuri’s brow furrows, obviously having forgotten.

But luckily for him, Victor didn’t forget, because his mate deserves to be appreciated and loved and respected at every turn. He draws out the bundle of papers from behind his back, holding them out until Yuuri gingerly takes them between his claws.

In slow, careful movements, Yuuri unfolds Victor’s meticulous drawings and sketches, and begins to flip through. He’d been sneakily watching and sketching Yuuri since, well, since that damn _book_ and he’s amassed maybe double the amount of illustrations and drawings of Yuuri’s perfect form.

Take _that_ Chihoko.

“Vitya, it’s…”

Yuuri glances between the drawing and Victor’s face, as if trying to find the words.

“It’s unique?” Yuuri gives a tentative smile.

Victors lips immediately fall into a frown. “You don’t like it.”

“No, I love it Vitya.” And it doesn’t sound like a lie, but it doesn’t sound as _enthused_ from Yuuri’s lips as it should be.

“You like Chihoko’s better, don’t you.” Victor grimaces around the name, a hiss escaping.

“I… who?” Yuuri’s brow furrows before jumping up. “Oh, was that the name in the book?”

“You don’t have to _pretend_ when you obviously like them so much better.” Victor turns tail and starts to fin back toward the cave.

“Vitya!” Yuuri’s voice shakes with laughter, and Victor flushes. “Vitya, wait!”

Victor should stop. This is ridiculous, he _knows_ , but…

Yuuri’s arms wrap around his middle. “Vitya, you know I love you, don’t you?”

“I… I do.” Victor lets out a breath, tears burning at his eyes though there’s no reason, whatsoever. “You don’t have to reassure me or anything—”

“Vitya.” Yuuri’s tone is firm enough to shut Victor up. “Do you reassure me every time I worry about something that one of us thinks as silly?”

Victor opens his mouth, shuts it, and then opens it again. “I… do. But Yuuri—”

“No buts.” Yuuri nuzzles his face into Victor’s side. “I love you, and I love the effort you put into it, and it took me off guard.”

Victor lets out a breath. “How bad is it, really?”

Yuuri takes a moment to get his words together. “You’re not an illustrator like Chihoko is—was, probably. But I can tell how much love and effort and enthusiasm you put into it, and I adore that about it. I’ll keep it forever, until the pages are crumbling and they become stardust again.”

With a small smile, Victor turns in Yuuri’s arms and presses a kiss to his crown. “You’re too kind to me, love.”

Yuuri smiles up at him. “It’s only the truth. I love all of you—even the amateur artist side of you.”

Victor pouts, jutting out his lower lip. “Yuuri!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (QUICK NOTE: There was a loss in the family last night, and I wasn't too close but it's still hitting hard so I may be a little late replying to comments on this and the last chapter tomorrow. <3)
> 
> This fits under “pinup” because you know Vitya drew lewds in there. “I bet Chihoko didn’t—and couldn’t!—draw THIS!!!” (The one (1) prompt I planned on pushing the rating with is also the one (1) prompt that didn’t. Of course.)
> 
> As always, thank you so, so much for reading! Only one day left!!!
> 
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	31. Day Thirty-One - Zombie

Vitya has been anxious.

It took Yuuri longer than it should have to notice, but now that he _has_ , nothing seems to help. Distractions and assurances always do wonders for Vitya’s worries, but they barely drag him out of his nervous twitching and long sighs. Yuuri tries grand gestures to assure him that they’re all right, but other than Vitya’s predictably enthusiastic response, nothing changes. And heaven forbid Yuuri asks him outright, because Vitya just closes right up.

The final straw is Makkachin. She’s been clingier than normal with Vitya’s mood, but now she’s whining as she wraps around Yuuri, seeking comfort because her Mer is… well, Yuuri doesn’t even _know_ what her Mer is right now.

“Vitya!” Yuuri snatches away the small human book that Vitya was reading it, giving it to Makka to hold and play with. “What’s wrong?”

Vitya frowns, and looks away. “Nothing.”

“Oh no, you’re not getting away with that this time. I know something’s wrong. _Makka_ knows something’s wrong. Do you want to worry her to the point we’re dealing with indigestion again?” It’s a low blow, one of Yuuri’s more unreasonable worries out to air—the last bout of indigestion was because Makka was too enthusiastic, not too sad—but by the way Vitya’s eyes widen, Yuuri knows it hits home.

“She’s not…” His eyes lock onto Makka, clinging to Yuuri like a comfort blanket.

“She’s been worried for you as long as I have.” If not longer—she’s such a good, sensitive girl. “And if we _both_ notice something’s wrong, something’s wrong. We’ve given you time to work through it on your own, but you’re obviously not moving forward, Vitya. And I’m not going to have you put Makka through this any longer.”

Vitya swallows, eyes slowly but surely moving toward Yuuri. “But I… I don’t want to let you down.”

Yuuri frowns. “The only way you’ll let me down is keeping this to yourself instead of talking about it. We’re partners, Vitya. We support each other.”

“I… you’re right.” Vitya gives out a shaky sigh, then sucks in a quick breath. “You’re _right_!”

Yuuri startles, Makka’s grip even loosening as she peers around his body at Vitya. “What?”

“Come here!” Vitya pushes up from where he was lounging, grabs Yuuri’s hand and yanks him forward, out of Makka’s grip and toward the cauldron. He immediately sets about digging through containers and chests for ingredients and dumping them into the pot. Half of the things Yuuri’s never _seen_ , flowers from worlds he’s never been to in colors he couldn’t name, bits of creatures he can’t imagine what the rest of them looked like and he even comes over to Makka, cooing as he works a few of her hairs loose and drops those in, too.

“Vitya, what are you _doing?”_ Yuuri keeps looking between the pot and his mate.

“I’ve been upset because I just haven’t been able to get this potion down—I’ve been working on it for so, so long, and I wanted to surprise you, but I couldn’t get the song aspect of it down while I was making the potion.”

Yuuri frowns. “You know there’s no need to get so upset over a… a gift? That I’ll love you regardless of whether or not you give me something.”

Vitya waves his hand, dismissive. “Yes, yes, of course I know that. But I _wanted_ this for you because… Well, you’ll see, because your song will be what completes it!”

“I… all right.” Yuuri’s fins twitch as he tries to get his thoughts in order. “What sort of spell is it?”

“I’m not telling!” Vitya singsongs as he lights the witchfire.

Yuuri sighs. “Then how am I supposed to sing for it?”

“Oh!” Vitya taps his lip for a moment. “I want you to sing like… like you’re trying to draw me, or Makka maybe, home. From across galaxies, or worlds, or universes. I want you to sing a loved one home.”

Yuuri flushes a little—it shouldn’t be an intimate request, but it _feels_ like one. “But won’t that draw you away from your work? If I drag you into my song?”

Vitya shakes his head, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. “You won’t draw me in because you already have me right here, Yuuri.” He stretches out his hand, taking Yuuri’s right palm in his own and completing the tattoos that proclaim them as mates.

Yuuri’s flush goes from a little to a lot. “A-all right. Okay.”

“I’m ready when you are.” Vitya doesn’t let go of his hand, but shifts away a little, hovering over the cauldron. “Close your eyes and sing, love.”

Closed eyes? Yuuri gives a mental shrug before shutting out the world, opening his mouth, and singing to the cave and the cauldron.

Makka and Vitya are right here with him, but Yuuri knows what it feels like to want someone he loved to his side. He remembers singing whispered songs to Vicchan after he passed away. He knows what it’s like to be off hunting and crave the presences he loves but it forever out of reach.

He sings of that longing, and that ache. Of feeling soothed and whole if only they were back with him, if he wasn’t all alone.

And from the way Vitya’s cool magic tickles against his skin, he really isn’t alone. He’ll never have to be alone again, not with his family there to love and protect him just as he does the same to them. His siren song may be begging for a missing piece of himself to come home, but he knows better in his heart.

He already is home.

It’s not long before the touch of magic around him withdraws, but Vitya doesn’t say to stop singing, so Yuuri doesn’t. He keeps weaving the magic around them, even as Makka comes over to wrap herself around him. Well, Vitya was right about himself being able to resist the spell, at least, even if Makka couldn’t.

Except… except Makka croons behind him, and the kraken in front of him answers, its voice entirely different yet completely familiar.

Yuuri’s eyes snap open and his song abruptly ends as he gasps, looking down at the smaller kraken wrapped around his waist, chittering at him excitedly.

“It…” Yuuri blinks rapidly, trying to swallow back the tears. “It can’t….”

“I _knew_ it would work!” Vitya beams next to him. “The theory behind it was simple, but the execution was complicated. A kraken is a simpler being than a Mer or even a human, resurrection shouldn’t have been impossible—and it _isn’t_.”

The tears begin to run down Yuuri’s cheeks. Resurrection? Then… then… He sinks down to the floor, wrapping his arms around the small kraken in front of him. “Vichhan?”

The kraken— _Vicchan_ —coos at him, and Yuuri sobs, clutching him as tight as he can to his chest.

“Y-Yuuri?” Vitya’s hand falls on Yuuri’s shoulder. “Is it… bad? I wanted to surprise you, but I should’ve asked—”

“It’s perfect.” Yuuri gasps for breath, then grabs Vitya’s hand and tugs him closer. “He’s perfect. _You’re_ perfect.”

Vitya hesitates only a little before wrapping his arms around Yuuri, reaching a hand around to let Vicchan investigate it. “No, you’re the perfect one.”

Yuuri chokes on a laugh. “I love you. I love you so much.”

Vitya’s reply is delayed by Makkachin colliding into the lot of them, unable to resist saying hello to her new friend any longer, but it’s as predictable as it is comforting and amazing.

“I love you too, Yuuri.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THERE IT IS, FOLKS. WE SURVIVED MERMAY. I DONE DID A THING FOR THIRTY-ONE DAYS STRAIGHT. Holy cow!!! I hope that you enjoyed this... very, very strange ride, with these very, very strange mers. (There _is_ one more drabble I wrote, but check out my Twitter for info on that!)
> 
> Thank you so, SO much for being patient and checking out these daily updates. And if you're someone who binged it, thank you for giving these dorks a chance. Just, overall, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3
> 
> [Prompt List](https://kazul9.tumblr.com/post/184559117828/lem0ns-art-welp-since-i-am-a-glutton-for) | [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/hmvKrGp) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Kazul9) | [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/Kazul9) | [Tumblr](https://kazul9.tumblr.com//)


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